


The Prince in the Tower

by treya_barton



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Inspired by Tangled (2010), M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-15
Updated: 2018-08-16
Packaged: 2019-03-31 15:08:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 68,166
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13977687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/treya_barton/pseuds/treya_barton
Summary: A Final Fantasy XV story inspired by Tangled~





	1. Prophecy

**Author's Note:**

  * For [liziscribbles](https://archiveofourown.org/users/liziscribbles/gifts).



This is a story about how a prince died in order to save the world. Do not be alarmed, however, for it is ultimately a happy story. And, really, it’s not solely about the prince who was chosen. This is the story of a young man named Prompto. 

Our story starts with the birth of the chosen prince to King Regis Lucis Caelum CXIII and Queen Aulea, the rulers of Lucis. The King and Queen had been trying to have a child for several years, and they were both overjoyed when they realized they would finally have a child. Unfortunately, the kind and beautiful Queen grew ill during her pregnancy, and not long after holding baby Noctis for the first time, she passed away. The King and the kingdom mourned for their Queen, while also sustaining their joy at having a prince. The prince inherited his father’s dark hair but seemed to have more of his mother’s fair features, and he was a happy, albeit quiet infant. He was named Noctis after the night sky his mother had so loved, often gazing out at the stars as she prayed to the Astrals for the chance to have a child of her own.

King Regis doted on his young son. Although he missed his wife greatly, he knew that he wanted his son to grow up happy and loved as was her wish. Thus, it pained him greatly when he was met in his dreams by the Kings of Old, the spirits of his ancestors who came to him with a prophecy about his son. “Your son is the Chosen One, Regis,” his father, former King Mors, gently told him.

Regis’s heart sank. There was a prophecy in Lucis that the Chosen One would sacrifice himself and banish The Accursed who plagued Eos with illness and daemons. There was a sickness amongst the people called Starscourge that was incurable unless healed by the Oracle who contained the power of the Astrals, and at night daemons popped into existence, attacking all who were not protected by lights especially designed to ward them off or Havens scattered around Eos with protective runes set by the Oracle. “Not Noctis,” Regis said tearfully; his chest tightened painfully at the idea that he would lose his son as well. “Please, not my son!”

King Mors placed a comforting hand on his son’s shoulder, but the expression on his face was grave. “It has been set by the Astrals. We cannot change the boy’s fate.” The other monarchs nodded gravely, although many also seemed stricken by Regis’s grief.

“Is there any way to save him? Must he die?” Regis asked, grasping at any form of hope.

King Mors paused, before turning to look at the other monarchs. They all glanced at each other thoughtfully before one by one they all nodded approval. King Mors smiled in relief before turning to his son. “There may yet be a way for Noctis to be saved,” he replied. “The Astrals speak of something unnatural at work. It is quite possible there may be one out there soon with the ability to heal.”

Regis gasped. While the Oracle could heal Starscourge, no other healing magic was known of in Eos. The magic provided to the Lucis Caelum line could only be used offensively or defensively as a shield, and while the Oracle could heal the Starscourge, she could not heal other illnesses or injuries. “That would be a miracle,” he said in awe.

“Indeed, it would be,” King Mors replied. “However, we know not if such a miracle will come to pass. Only that it is a possibility.” 

Regis nodded gratefully. “I will do my best to research this rumor and use it to help my son. Father, thank you.”

King Mors bowed his head, before reiterating the words he said to him on his death bed, “Walk tall, my son.” He and the other monarchs then faded away as Regis began to stir awake. He vowed in his waking moments that he would find a way to save his son, and he made good on that vow by assembling resources together to research an individual with healing abilities.

A few months later in different realm, another ruler was being taken on a tour of one of the many scientific facilities in his realm. Emperor Iedolas Aldercapt of Niflheim was following Research Chief Verstael Besithia as he led him throughout the facility, droning on about his various projects. The Emperor tuned him out for the most part, not really understanding or caring about most of the technical jargon that the Research Chief used. He was more interested in seeing how the projects were faring, especially the one on prolonging life and youth. Unlike Regis, who was still in the prime of his life, Iedolas was starting to reach his later years, and was worried that his health may fail him in the not too distant future.

Niflheim was a mountainous region known for its harsh winters; unlike Lucis with its much milder climate and natural resources, the residents of Niflheim had to carve deep into the mountains for their resources and use science and innovation in order to get ahead. And one way they were doing so was by human experimentation. They wanted to enhance mankind in any way possible, whether by improving them to the peak of their abilities, or by extending the longevity of their life. Their main research was the militaristic magitek program, in which enhanced clones of Research Chief Besithia were used as infantry for the military. Some of those clones were set aside for the other research, however, and Emperor Aldercapt was anxious to see how the prolonging life program was going.

Research Chief Besithia seemed to catch on and let out an impatient huff before changing course. He led the Emperor down a clinical, metallic hallway lit by harsh, artificial light, before turning into a dim room lit mainly by a few liquid filled glass tubes. The tubes were hooked up to various computers and scientific equipment, and the room was kept very cold. Floating in each tube was one of Verstael’s clones in various stages of age; Verstael, however, was leading the Emperor to the youngest of the clones who was merely an infant. “Your Radiance, I would like you to meet N-1P01357,” he introduced, before waving his hand at the tank. “He is the most promising so far of all the specimen.”

“Do tell more,” the Emperor replied, inspecting the clone closely. He didn’t appear to be any different from the hundreds he had seen so far. 

Chief Besithia moved over to the computer connected to the tank and input a few commands. Moments later, a mechanical arm with a sharp medical tool began moving within the tank; it sliced a cut along the infant’s arm, immediately causing the infant to begin crying in the tank. To Emperor Aldercapt’s amazement, several moments later there was a flash of golden light along the wound, and it rapidly began to close until it reformed as an unblemished patch of skin. “Extraordinary,” he breathed.

“We are trying to do more tests, but it appears he can use the ability on others as well,” Chief Besithia said with a thin, yet proud smile. 

“That could prove very valuable,” the Emperor remarked. “Keep me posted on the progress of this one.”

Chief Besithia gave a slight bow before they continued on with their tour. Not long afterward, it was confirmed that not only did the clone have the ability to heal himself, but he also had the ability to heal others as well. The Emperor immediately adopted the clone as his son, renaming him Prince Prompto Aldercapt; he figured the best way to ensure the clone’s loyalty is to raise him as his own. 

The night after the infant is officially announced as the new Prince of Niflheim, his nursery is visited by a strange man with maroon red hair and piercing amber eyes. The intruder nonchalantly entered the room, appearing to have every right to be there, and sauntered up to the crib, peering inside with a look of feigned interest. “Not a particularly appealing child, are you?” he asked with a smirk, as Prompto looked back at him with innocent, indigo eyes, his blond hair starting to finally grow now that it was no longer being shaved in the test tube. “Nevertheless, I feel a strange connection to you,” the man murmured to himself. 

He had originally entered the room planning to rid Eos of the child, but upon seeing him was starting to have second thoughts. The eccentric man was dressed with a worn fedora, in an overly long jacket with a short cloak covering one side, and a multilayered suit. He wore as many layers as his personality contained, and always seemed to have a dangerous, yet amused smile on his face. At the moment, however, his eyes had lost their usual calculated amusement, and appeared almost thoughtful. He then made his decision and scooped up the child, before stepping outside and off the balcony and disappearing into the night. The next morning, the empty crib was found by a maid who immediately alerted one of the palace guards. Everyone looked in vain for the newly ordained baby prince, but he was not to be found. 

Even more alarming to the Emperor and Chief Researcher was the fact that all of the files and the notes for N-1P01357 were also found to be missing. Chief Besithia had not been able to replicate the healing ability of the clone in any other specimen yet and had been heavily reliant on his research notes to attempt to recreate the environment which had led to it surfacing in the young prince. Thus, he was greatly frustrated to learn that whomever had taken the child had stolen his files as well, since he was truly at a loss without them. They also realized that the person who had done it had to have certain security clearances in order to access the research facility and hack into the program to take the files; it definitely was an inside job or a spy. They just had no inkling as to who could have done it. Thus, they began their long search for the missing prince and the missing research, hoping to find either in order to further their investigation and extend the Emperor’s life.

Several years pass without any sign of the missing prince or a solution for the fate of the chosen prince. By this point, Prompto is a young boy, hidden away in a tower with a strange barcode on his wrist the only sign of where he came from. He had grown up mostly alone, with only the odd man Ardyn Izunia for company. He was often left by himself as the man travelled for work, and had the books, toys, and other collectibles Ardyn brought back to keep him entertained. Ardyn had taught him to read and write, and he would leave Prompto textbooks to study with in his infinite spare time. Prompto knew his name as Prompto Argentum; Ardyn had kept his first name, finding the connection to the word quick fitting for the energetic boy, but changed his last name to one more common in the Lucian region that he had brought the boy to keep him hidden away.

They were in a remote area that very few people travelled to, and Ardyn had used his ancient knowledge to keep the area even more hidden from the view of those who would be looking for Niflheim’s prince. Prompto was now a happy, lively child with messy blond hair and shining indigo eyes. He was well aware of his healing ability, and he had been told his whole life that he had to hide away from those that would abuse it. Ardyn let him know it was a special ability, even if he wasn’t always kind to the child. He was a moody man and could sometimes be sweet and other days unnecessarily cruel.

On that particular night, however, he was out working. Prompto had finished reading for the night and had put out his candle; he never knew when Ardyn would remember to bring more so he would always conserve the ones he had for as long as possible. Instead, he chose to stare out his window, the only connection he had to the outside world. There were no doors in the tower – only a window that was too far up for Prompto to exit from. So, the young boy would instead gaze out in wonder at the world outside his window, taking in all the sights and sounds and dreaming about what it must be like to be out there and experience it all. He carefully kept his gaze skyward, for at night along the ground daemons would appear. They would range from the troll like Iron Giants to the smaller, mischievous imps, to elemental bombs that would explode when attacked. There were all manner of daemons, and they all terrified the lonely boy. 

So, he found it easier to stare up at the night sky instead, mapping the constellations and dreaming up his own stories to rival those in the different books Ardyn would bring back with him. On this night, his musings were interrupted by something new appearing in the sky, something he had never seen before. There were lights floating in the distance, obviously coming from the ground and drifting into the sky. Prompto excitedly pulled out his sketchbook and pencils and began to sketch the scenery, taking in all the details he could. He wondered what the floating lights could be – what they could mean – and wanted to get all the details he could of the phenomenon. He also jotted his findings down in his journal, taking care to put the date and time as well as he could gather. He would eagerly check again the following night and would soon grow disappointed when they didn’t appear again. 

By the time Ardyn returned from his travels with food and gifts, the event had already slipped Prompto’s mind, lost to the mundanity of his day to day life. He would remember the event again, however, when he witnessed it a second time a year later and realized upon checking his journal entries that the floating lights appeared again on the same night of the year. Prompto decided then and there that he would one day discover what the floating lights were and what they meant.

Meanwhile, in the city of Insomnia, the chosen prince was at a ball celebrating his birthday and was bored out of his mind. Noctis was done talking to all of the adults in the room and picking at the fancy food that he didn’t much care about; his advisor to be Ignis was learning to cook and Noctis much preferred his food, even if Ignis was constantly trying to sneak vegetables into the meals. The raven-haired boy had already ditched Ignis and his shield in training Gladiolus and had his midnight blue eyes set on the balcony door. Luckily, he was small enough to climb under tables and remain below the radar of the adults in the room, and he soon made his way out onto the balcony. He loosened his tie and the collar around his neck before climbing onto the banister so he could rest his arms and head on the top of the rail. He stared out at the few remaining lanterns being released into the sky; they always started Noctis’s birthday celebration by releasing lanterns into the air to honor the future King of Light.

Noctis didn’t really understand it – they didn’t do it for his father’s birthday, and no one could explain why his was so special. Not even Ignis, and Ignis knew everything! Noctis suspected his father knew why, but every time he tried to bring it up he would look sad, so Noctis eventually let the subject drop. Noctis’s eyes were beginning to droop, when he was suddenly jolted awake as his father casually said, “Ah, what a lovely evening,” from beside him. Regis caught his startled son as he began to fall backward, and Noctis immediately looked guilty upon getting caught sneaking out of his own birthday celebration.

Regis merely smiled. His dark hair was starting to get small streaks of gray, but he still looked pretty young; being a monarch and having to wield the Ring of the Lucii to protect his kingdom was aging him more quickly than normal, however, and Noctis was beginning to take notice. “I’m…sorry…” Noctis mumbled, before resting his head on the railing again and bashfully looking away.

Regis chuckled before ruffling his son’s hair. “Trust me, my son, I understand. Social gatherings can be quite exhausting,” he replied.

Noctis, upon realizing he wasn’t in trouble, smiled and decided to enjoy the rare moment with his father. As King, Regis was often busy. Although he tried to make time to see Noctis, the boy was often stuck spending time with his many tutors and Ignis and Gladiolus instead. Any moment spent with his father was a rare opportunity. One last lantern dotted the sky, and it gave Noctis courage to ask again about the lanterns they released on his birthday every year.

“Father?” he asked.

“What is it, Noctis?” Regis asked.

“Why do they release the lanterns every year?” Noctis asked.

Regis was silent for a moment. The sad looked crept onto his face, but he answered calmly, “Why, it’s because you’re meant to be the King of Light who will keep darkness at bay.”

Noctis wrinkled his forehead in confusion. “What does that mean?” he asked.

Regis smiled sadly. “You’ll understand one day, my boy.” He then offered Noctis his hand. “Let’s make one more round at the ball. Then we’ll go up to your room, and I’ll read you a bedtime story. How does that sound?”

Noctis smiled widely at his father before eagerly taking his hand. He dragged him inside, wishing to finish their final walkthrough and announcement of the end of the ball quickly so he could get the precious moment with his father. In his excitement, he totally forgot his confusion about his father’s statement, and wouldn’t reflect on it until years later.


	2. The Tower

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noctis finds himself in a strange forest and soon stumbles upon a mysterious tower in a clearing.

Several years passed and the boy in the tower grew into a cheerful young man. His fair skin was covered in freckles from sitting in his open window gazing at the rest of the world during the day, and his blond hair was uneven and messy from trying to cut it himself. He had thinned out and his face became more angular as well; he had figured out a decent workout routine in the tower to keep himself occupied. It also helped that he had a strict diet since he could only eat what ingredients Ardyn would bring for him to cook with, which consisted of mainly vegetables and fruits, bread, and occasionally meat when the odd man thought about it.

Prompto was currently studying. He had set a personal schedule for himself for lack of anything else to do and would spend a few hours each day studying different subjects based on the textbooks Ardyn brought him. He noticed that sometimes sections of the book appeared to have been torn out or modified, but figured his guardian had his reasons and didn’t question it. He was also excited, for he knew in a few days he would be able to see the floating lights. He actually planned on asking Ardyn if he was old enough now to actually go and see them in person; he was 19 years old, and he thought he could handle a short trip to see them in person and find out what they were.

His studying was interrupted by the telltale sound of Ardyn arriving home; a loud clink as he tossed his sword into the stone above the window, a whoosh as his body moved rapidly to meet his sword, and the sound of crystal shattering from the magic. Prompto excitedly jumped up and closed his book, rushing forward to greet him as he appeared in the window. “Hello, poppet,” Ardyn greeted, tilting his hat in greeting before stepping into the room.

“Father!” Prompto called excitedly. He moved forward to give Ardyn a hug, but the man sidestepped him and patted him gingerly on the head instead.

“You’re far too old for that now, don’t you think?” he asked, heading into the kitchen to set down his basket of goods so Prompto could restock his pantry. He eyed the basket gratefully – he had been running low on food, especially bread since his last loaf had gotten moldy.

“How long will you be here this time?” Prompto asked hopefully as he started sorting through the basket and making a mental note on how long each item would probably last. Down in the cellar of the tower it was pretty cold which helped keep his fruits and vegetables longer, but Ardyn had been thoughtful enough to bring him meat which meant he’d have to salt it if he wanted it to keep awhile.

“Not long, poppet,” Ardyn replied. “I am very busy with work and have to make a short trip.”

He was looking around the room, as if making sure nothing had changed since he had been away. The uppermost room of the tower was the main room Prompto stayed in – it had the window, his bed and a bookcase for most of his books, and the kitchen. In the kitchen was wood-burning stove. Whenever Ardyn was home he’d usually chop up some wood and bring it up to Prompto to store and use as he needed. During the winter, the wood stove would keep the room warm and during the summer they would get a breeze from the window which Prompto usually kept open. Ardyn had his own room on a floor below and discouraged Prompto from going in there; he always said he didn’t want him to mess up the things he kept in there for work. Below that there was a space that Prompto used for exercise and to practice his shooting – Ardyn had set up targets and said he wanted Prompto to know how to defend himself just in case anyone came into the tower. And below that was the cellar where he kept a lot of the food.

Prompto had stilled in the kitchen upon hearing that Ardyn wouldn’t be there for long. It seemed like lately he was away more and more often, which disappointed the young man. Ardyn was the only person he ever got to talk to and always brought with him interesting stories about what he encountered in the outside world; he was Prompto’s only entertainment outside of the novels that Ardyn would bring, so it was upsetting that he wouldn’t be there for long. Then, Prompto remembered what he wanted to ask Ardyn and brightened. Now was the perfect time he reasoned.

“What if I go with you this time?” he asked, and Ardyn turned to face him, his eyebrows lifting.

“Don’t be silly,” he admonished. “You know how dangerous it is for you out there. We don’t want anyone abusing your abilities, now do we?”

“I know, I know. But, I figure I’m old enough now. And if I’m with you, I’ll be ok, right?” Prompto asked.

Ardyn snorted impatiently. “With how clumsy and foolish you are?” he replied flippantly. “I think not.”

He then started to head downstairs to signify the conversation was over, but Prompto didn’t want to give up just yet. “But you were just saying how I’m older now, weren’t you? I know how to shoot, so I can protect myself. I just want to see the floating lights – just once!”

Ardyn stiffened, and Prompto noticed his hands clench into fists. However, when he turned to face the young man, his face was perfectly formed into its usual, mocking grin. “Oh? You think you can defend yourself?” he asked, before suddenly warping and holding his sword at Prompto’s neck. Prompto stiffened in shock before gulping nervously. “You wouldn’t last 10 minutes out there, poppet.” He then put away his sword with a flash of red light, and the faint chime of breaking crystals faded away with the sword. “Now, I am simply exhausted from my travels and would like some peace and quiet without you wearing me out further with worry.”

Prompto nodded guiltily and looked down. “I understand,” he whispered, and Ardyn ruffled his hair.

“Don’t fret, I won’t be gone long this time,” he commented, before giving a wave and heading downstairs to his room.

Prompto sighed before plopping on his bed and grabbing his yellow chocobo plushie he had named Solis. Solis was the only gift Ardyn had ever given to him that could truly be called a toy; ever since he was a kid, Prompto had enjoyed looking at the animals and learning about them in his encyclopedia. His favorite to learn about was the chocobo, a large bird that people could use for transportation, and he had begged Ardyn as a child to go and see one in person. Eventually, to get him to drop the subject, Ardyn had brought him a chocobo toy and said that was the closest he was going to get. Prompto adored the gift and took good care of it to make sure it didn’t get worn out with age – any small tear he mended with care and he kept it nice and clean. He hugged it to his chest and stared at the ceiling of the tower, currently being bathed in the golden rays of the setting sun. It would be dark soon, which was probably when Ardyn planned on leaving. For some reason, the daemons never bothered him.

“But I want to see the floating lights,” Prompto whispered to Solis, letting out a sigh and holding his plush more tightly. He eventually dozed off like that and was sound asleep when Ardyn came back upstairs to head out again. Ardyn didn’t seem to notice the young man since he was asleep, and merely warped out the window, heading off again and leaving him alone.

The next morning in the city of Insomnia, the prince had woken up early, a rare occurrence if fishing wasn’t involved, in order to sneak out of the citadel. He was supposed to go to a meeting with his father after breakfast to meet with some representatives from Niflheim, but Noctis really didn’t want to deal with them, especially the strange Chancellor who always seemed to watch him when he visited. It creeped Noctis out the way the man’s eyes seemed to train on him, and it infuriated him how he always seemed smug and sarcastic when addressing him or his father. Especially his father.

So, he instead woke up early and snuck out with the sun just coming up over the horizon. Ignis wouldn’t be coming in to forcibly wake him up for at least two hours, and since he didn’t have training with Gladio until the afternoon due to the meeting, he knew he wouldn’t get a surprise visit from him either. That gave him enough time to get far enough away that by the time he got caught, he would hopefully have skipped out on the meeting completely. He knew he’d get in trouble and probably get grounded with extra lessons, but he really didn’t care. He had grown from a quiet, friendly child into a still kind, yet sometimes sullen young man. Between the pressure of one day inheriting the throne and seeing his father’s health slowly drain from the Ring of the Lucii, he had a lot of pent up frustration and not a lot of avenues to release it. He did sometimes complain to Gladiolus and Ignis, his only two friends, but they were also his shield and advisor and thus had to balance friendship and pushing him along to his expected pathway. That meant he would sometimes sulk or lash out unexpectedly, or occasionally do something reckless like run away from a diplomatic meeting.

Noctis was dressed in his fishing clothes - dark jeans, a white shirt with silver accents and textured designs on it, and a black hat that he had tossed on his normally styled hair in order to help hide his face. He usually would take the time to style his hair, but knew he only had a limited time to get away from the citadel; this early most people hadn’t arrived for work yet and there weren’t as many Crownsguard posted which made it easier to get away without getting spotted. Noctis carefully warped his way out of his window after checking to make sure no one was around to see him, and he used his training with Gladio to dodge his way around the few Crownsguard on duty that morning. He eventually was able to warp his way over the wall and was soon in the clear. He jogged down the street, taking in the early morning sights of his gleaming city, awed by how quiet and peaceful it was in the morning. He usually wasn’t awake until it was already starting to bustle, so this was a rare moment for him.

Noctis soon wished he had brought his black chocobo Vesperus with him, but he knew that it would have been hard sneaking him out of the Citadel. The chocobo would surely have been excited to see him and his excited kwehs would have alerted someone who would have probably spotted him. Noctis grimaced at the thought, and eventually slowed down to a walk once his stamina had run out. He figured he had given himself enough distance that he would be alright for awhile. It wasn’t until he had gotten into the business section of the city that was now growing busy with people heading into work, that he realized the citadel must have noticed his absence. He was beginning to see a lot of Kingsglaive purposefully walking around and studying the crowd, and quickly ducked onto a quiet side street. ‘Ignis must have come to wake me up early,’ he realized, because it had only been an hour. There was still plenty of time for him to return for the meeting at this point. He thought he would have been at the outskirts of the city by the time they realized he was missing, which would have meant even more time before they found him.

‘This really sucks,’ Noctis thought glumly, while trying to figure out what to do. He didn’t want to risk warping anywhere, because the Kingsglaive would be sure to notice it and hone in on him. It was one thing to get in trouble and miss the meeting, and another entirely to get in trouble and still have to go. Noctis kneeled down next to a dumpster and tried to think. It wasn’t often he was in the city on his own, so most of the Kingsglaive would probably be more familiar with the city streets than he was. They would probably be checking all of the public transportation as well, so that wasn’t an option either. His thoughts were soon interrupted, however, by something wet that brushed against his hand.

Noctis stumbled back in surprise, before looking up to see a familiar looking dog sitting patiently next to him while wagging his tail. “Umbra!” Noctis said excitedly, reaching forward to scratch the dog’s ears. Umbra was the dog of his childhood friend Lunafreya Nox Fleuret, who was the princess of the neighboring kingdom of Tenebrae and the daughter of Queen Sylva Via Fleuret. Along with being a Queen, Sylva was also the former Oracle, until a few years ago when Lunafreya had taken over so Sylva could focus on ruling her country. Noctis hadn’t been able to see Luna as much since she became Oracle, but she had promised to come to Insomnia for his birthday which was coming up soon.

Umbra and Pryna were Lunafreya’s dogs, and also acted as messengers for her and contained their own magic from the astrals. Umbra had a black overcoat with a white belly, while Pryna was fully white. Umbra visited Noctis more often, bringing him a journal that he and Luna passed back and forth so they could correspond without prying eyes. Noctis looked for the journal, curious when he realized Umbra wasn’t carrying it in his mouth like usual. “Did you just want to see me, buddy?” Noctis asked with a small grin.

Just then, he heard voices further down the road, and peered around the dumpster to see two of the Glaives chatting as they headed his way. They were also carefully looking around, and Noctis quickly ducked his head back and inwardly cursed. ‘Looks like I have to go to the meeting after all,’ he thought, just as Umbra nosed at his shoulder to get his attention. Noctis looked up in confusion as Umbra lifted his paw up like he was trying to do a handshake.

“Ah, did you learn a new trick?” Noctis whispered, before humoring the dog and reaching forward to place his hand against his paw. As soon as his hand touched, he suddenly found himself sitting in the middle of a dark forest, the city and Kingsglaive nowhere to be seen. Noctis blinked his eyes in surprise before looking around, trying to figure out where he was suddenly transported to. He strained his ears, but could hear none of the city noises, and the woods didn’t look like anything he recognized either. The city had a few wooded parks, and there was one near the citadel with a fishing pond he used often, but this was much wilder than any of them. Immediately outside of Insomnia it was basically a desert – you had to go quite a distance to hit actual woods, so it couldn’t have been in Cavaugh where Insomnia was located or Leide the area right outside the city.

Another concern suddenly occurred to Noctis as well. He was in the middle of a forest…and it was dark outside. Which meant daemons. Noctis quickly called upon his sword; a blue light formed in his hand which broke apart into shards of crystals and disappeared as the sword was willed into existence in its place. The shards made a faint shatter sound as well, as if the crystal particles had been smashed apart to bring the sword into existence. This was one of the many abilities the Lucian Crystal provided to his family, and his father had passed the magic on to the Kingsglaive to use as well. King Regis figured with tensions high with Niflheim, it woudn’t hurt to have a magically trained army at hand to defend the kingdom if needed. It was also what drained him so, since allowing so many to tap into its power through the ring sapped his strength.

Noctis gripped his sword securely in his hand as he made his way through the forest, Umbra following close to his side. Noctis knew that Luna’s dogs used magic, but he had never seen it used so obviously before and was surprised. ‘Why would Luna bring me here?’ he wondered. He trusted his friend, but he was puzzled as to what she was doing. And why she hadn’t given him any sort of warning ahead of time. ‘At least this gets me out of the meeting,’ he shrugged.

They were walking in what peered to be a wooded ravine, for on either side of them was a steep, tree lined slope. Noctis could hear water running up ahead as well, so knew that they had to be close to a river. That surprised him even more, because there were no rivers anywhere close to Insomnia. In fact, the closest one was in the far westernmost part of Lucis, an area he had never travelled to before. The only river he had seen in person was the artificial one at one of the parks in Insomnia. Umbra suddenly began barking and raced ahead from Noctis, causing Noctis to shout and run after him. “Hey, Umbra, wait up!” he called, sprinting after the dog. They soon passed across the river on a shallow portion, and through a part of the woods that began to open up away from the ravine. Not long afterward, Noctis burst into a clearing and was shocked to see a large tower sitting in the middle of the field. It was grassy with wildflowers spread throughout, and Noctis could imagine that during the day it probably looked pretty nice. Umbra had suddenly disappeared, which concerned Noctis, especially when behind him he heard the all too familiar sound of a daemon forming. It started with a creaking sound, like an old door opening, followed by some low rumbling. Noctis turned around and saw dark blue smoke shooting up from the ground with red embers mixed in, that seemed to grow up in size as a tall figure materialized out of it.

Noctis groaned. “Not an Iron Giant, of all things,” he grumbled, before warping closer to the tower to get some distance between them. Iron Giants were over 18 feet tall and were almost 10 tons of brute strength. They carried massive swords and between swinging those around would attempt to grab you in their hands and crush you. Noctis really didn’t want to have to deal with it, especially on his own. He ran around the base of the tower, trying to find a way in and was confused when he realized there didn’t seem to be a door. He looked up hopefully, trying to see if there was an alternative way in, and was relieved when he spotted a window toward the top. He summoned his magic and tossed his sword, willing it to land above the window, before his body trailed after it with a burst of blue light. As he reached his sword, the blue light burst around him, sounding like shattering crystal as it dissolved around him.

Noctis hung from his sword for a moment, allowing himself to catch his breath and calm his nerves, before dropping onto the windowsill and willing away his sword. He cautiously poked his head into the room, relieved again that the window was open so he could get away from the daemons outside. Inside he found a cozy room with paintings of various plants and animals covering the walls and the ceiling. Noctis was sure in the daylight they probably looked magnificent, but even in the darkness he could make out that they were very detailed and would have taken a long time. He cautiously stepped in further, noting a small kitchen and a large bookshelf crammed full of books and various nick knacks undoubtedly picked up from several different parts of the world – Noctis could make out items from Accordo, Tenebrae, Niflheim, and even a few from Galahd although there were very few from Lucis proper. His eyes swept across the room, trying to make out if anyone was present in the room, and eventually fell upon a figure sleeping peacefully in the bed. It was a young man with golden blond hair messily framing his face, dressed simply in a long, red flannel shirt and loose black sweats. He was clutching a yellow chocobo plush to his chest, and Noctis absentmindedly found it cute.

He winced, however, as outside the Iron Giant let out a loud roar, causing the young man to shoot up from his sleep in surprise, looking around wildly before his eyes fell upon Noctis. His eyes widened even further, and he let out a surprised squeak before hurtling his chocobo plush at Noctis in self-defense. “Hey, wait…” Noctis tried to calm him down, as the guy leapt from his bed and rushed into the kitchen, grabbing the first thing he saw to protect himself which happened to be a large, heavy frying pan.

“S-stay back,” he threatened, holding the frying pan in front of him protectively and pointing it at Noctis. Noctis immediately lifted his hands up to show he meant no harm.

“Listen, I didn’t mean to scare you,” he explained. “I was just trying to avoid getting attacked by daemons.”

Prompto glanced out the window behind Noctis and saw the Iron Giant swinging its sword around outside of the tower. He grimaced but turned his attention back to Noctis, frying pan still firmly in hand. “I don’t know where I am, or how I got here really,” Noctis continued. “I’m just trying to avoid getting pummeled by that thing.”

Prompto’s eyes trailed to the window again and after a moment he hesitantly lowered the frying pan. He didn’t set it down, however, and Noctis found himself wearily keeping an eye on it just in case. After a few moments, Prompto said hesitantly, “We’re in Malmalam Thicket…I think.”

“What?” Noctis asked, snapping out of his thoughts. He hadn’t expected the other guy to say anything.

“We’re in Malmalam Thicket. You said you didn’t know where you were,” Prompto replied. He leaned against his kitchen counter, seeming to study Noctis. Noctis waited for the moment of recognition that always came when meeting people, but he was surprised when it never came.

“What do you mean by, you think?” Noctis asked.

Prompto merely shrugged. “It’s the best I can gather from studying the maps father brings me,” he replied. He was nervously jostling his leg and kept looking around the room, almost as if trying to avoid eye contact with Noctis.

Noctis continued to watch him, undeterred. ‘If this is Malmalam Thicket…that means I’m all the way in Cleigne region,’ he realized. That would explain the river and would also mean he was pretty far from Insomnia. It would take several days worth of driving to get back, let alone trying to do anything by foot. And he barely knew anything about this part of Lucis since he had never travelled out here before. ‘Shit,’ he thought inwardly, starting to pale as it dawned on him how much trouble he would be in. This wouldn’t mean missing for a few hours. This would be days. He considered pulling out his phone to try to contact Ignis or Gladio, when he was interrupted by the mysterious young man.

“How did you get up here?” he asked curiously.

“Ah, right. Why don’t you have a door at the bottom?” Noctis replied. That had bothered him earlier, and the question had been festering in the back of his head. Only the Royal Family of Lucis and their Kingsglaives and Crownsgaurds could warp and use the Crystal’s powers, so how did this guy come and go?

His question seemed to bother the young man, who looked like he didn’t want to answer that question. Finally, he softly mumbled, “There isn’t a door.”

“Then how…” Noctis started to ask, but he was quickly interrupted.

“Before I answer how, why don’t you tell me how you did it?” Prompto looked irritated.

Noctis decided it was easier to show him, even if it would pretty much prove who he really was. He quickly summoned his sword, which caused the other’s eyes to widen in surprise, before tossing his sword and immediately willing his body to follow it. It did with a blue flash of light, and he was soon standing next to the other young man, quickly stowing away his sword so as to not appear threatening. “Understand yet?” Noctis asked.

“You’ve got the same ability my father does,” Prompto blurted out, which shocked Noctis.

‘Is his father a Glaive?’ he pondered. He ignored it for the moment and asked again, “So, are you going to tell me how you come and go then?”

“I don’t,” Prompto replied, crossing his arms over his chest defensively, frying pan still in hand.

Noctis was at a loss for words at that response. “You don’t,” he said flatly, and Prompto nodded his head.

They stared at each other silently for a few minutes, and Noctis finally asked, “Do you not know who I am?”

“Should I?” Prompto replied, tilting his head to the side and looking genuinely confused.

‘He seriously doesn’t know,’ Noctis realized. ‘What if he’s really been stuck in his tower?’ The thought gave him chills. He quickly shook his head. “I’m sorry, I’ve been really rude,” he realized. “I kind of came in and crashed your place and didn’t even give you my name. The name’s Noctis, by the way.”

He reached out his hand for a handshake, and the other young man looked at it in confusion for a moment, before a thought crossed his face and a shy grin suddenly graced it. He reached out tentatively with his hand not gripping the frying pan and gripped Noctis’s briefly before letting it go. “My name’s Prompto,” he introduced. He looked excited about something, and Noctis couldn’t quite figure it out. It was just a handshake after all. “Where are you from?” he finally asked curiously, seeming to grow a little more relaxed.

“Ah, I’m from Insomnia,” Noctis replied.

“Where’s that?” Prompto asked. He hadn’t seen it on any of his maps.

Noctis blinked at him. “It’s the capital of Lucis,” he replied.

“Lucis?” Prompto struggled. That also wasn’t on any of his maps or in any of his books.

Noctis was floored. “Yeah, Lucis. You know, the country that we’re currently in. This is the Cleigne Region of Lucis.”

Prompto seemed bewildered by the information. “I’ve heard of Cleigne,” he said slowly. “But never…” He looked down, trying to process everything. He seemed to internally come to a conclusion and turned back to Noctis. “Can you tell me about Insomnia? Is it anything like Altissia or Gralea?” Prompto had read a lot about Accordo’s city built on the water and about the capital of Niflheim, so they were the only things he had to compare to.

Noctis leaned against the counter, thinking over his city. “It’s bigger than Altissia, and it’s on a harbor but not built on the water directly like Altissia is,” he replied. “It’s really considered the heart of Lucis – when you come up over the ridge overlooking the city on your way to the bridge that takes you across to it…it’s a pretty breathtaking view.”

Prompto looked like he was hanging on every word. “At the very center of Insomnia is the Citadel – the palace where the Royal Family lives. It’s the tallest building in the city so in the rooms at the top you can overlook the entire city,” Noctis explained. “Surrounding the whole city is a high wall that kept it protected from enemy attacks back in the day.” He went on about how it was so calm and pretty in the morning, but really came alive at night with all of the lights going all night long as people bustled about all hours of the night. Prompto listened attentively, and only interrupted occasionally to clarify some of the things Noctis mentioned that he had never heard before.

Once Noctis was done, Prompto was looking at him as if he had become his new favorite thing in the whole world. “Wow,” he breathed. “It sounds beautiful.”

“It is. You should come and see it sometime,” Noctis said casually, but Prompto shook his head.

He looked out the window, which was finally beginning to show light on the horizon as the dawn began to break. Prompto looked a little sad, but said, “Once it gets light outside you should probably go. I don’t know when my father will be back, but it won’t be good if you’re here when he does.”

Noctis’s midnight blue eyes regarded him thoughtfully, noticing as the light strengthened the appearance of freckles on his face and noting his shaggy hair. His clothes looked well worn, but also well taken care of. He glanced around again at the small kitchen and all of the books scattered around the room before focusing back on Prompto again. “I don’t want to intrude longer than I have to. But are you sure you don’t want to come with me?” he asked. “I can get you down you know.”

Prompto looked withdrawn as he shook his head. “No, I couldn’t do that to my father,” he replied, and Noctis nodded. He barely knew the guy so he wouldn’t press. It wasn’t his place to pry.

“Well, is there anything else you want to know while I’m still here?” he asked curiously. Prompto thought for a moment before his indigo eyes brightened in excitement. Noctis found himself smiling at the blond man’s expression and how it seemed to light up his entire being.

“Yes actually. Do you know anything about the floating lights?” he asked enthusiastically.

Noctis blinked. “Floating lights?” he asked. Then it dawned on him. “Do you mean the lanterns?”

“Lanterns?” Prompto asked, and Noctis explained about the lantern festival. “That’s it!” Prompto looked overjoyed to finally know what it was. “I see them every year from my window and have been wondering what they were.”

“Ah, right. They release lanterns every year on the prince’s birthday because he’s destined to be the King of Light or something like that,” Noctis shrugged. “Everyone in Lucis does it so you’re probably seeing them from a nearby town.”

Prompto looked fascinated. “Really? What does it mean to be the King of Light?”

“Hell if I know,” Noctis grumbled. He glanced out the window and noted to his disappointment that it was pretty much morning at this point. Now that they had gotten past the initial encounter, he found Prompto easy to talk to, probably because he didn’t realize who he was and was interested in everything Noctis had to say. Noctis found himself relaxed for the first time in a very long time, even if he had no idea what he was going to do about this situation. He looked over at Prompto’s chocobo on the floor and smiled inwardly as he remembered seeing him clutching it in his sleep earlier. He walked over and reached down to pick it up, before dusting it off and handing it to Prompto who gratefully set down his frying pan to take it. “I’m really sorry for scaring you earlier,” Noctis apologized bashfully.

“It’s ok. You were just trying to run away from the daemon. I get it,” Prompto nodded. He also glanced out the window and said sadly, “Looks like it’s probably time for you to go.”

Noctis nodded and sighed. “Yeah, I probably should. Maybe, though, maybe I’ll be able to come back sometime?” Noctis noticed Umbra suddenly pop up in the field below the tower, and he blinked in surprise. ‘Maybe I won’t have to call Ignis after all,’ he thought.

“I’d like that,” Prompto said honestly, and Noctis grinned in reply.

“Well, it was nice meeting you Prompto,” he said with a wave before warping his way down next to Umbra.

“Nice meeting you too!” Prompto shouted from the window. He watched curiously as Noctis reached his hand out to the dog, having only seen one in pictures before. ‘I wonder what it would be like to pet one,’ he thought idly as the dog lifted up its paw. Once the dog placed its paw in Noctis’s hands, they both vanished without a trace. Prompto’s jaw dropped open. Not even his father could do something like that! He rubbed his eyes just to make sure he wasn’t imagining things, feeling sad now that the mysterious stranger had left.

He quickly rushed to his sketchbook, wanting to get a good sketch of Noctis in while his features were still fresh in his mind. He wanted to capture the blue of his eyes, shaded by the long bangs of his jet black hair, so he wouldn’t forget. He planned on writing an extensive journal entry later, documenting everything Noctis had told him, before trying to scour his books to see if any of the places Noctis had mentioned showed up in any. He suspected that the information torn out of the books Ardyn brought him may have to do with Lucis and Insomnia, but he wondered if maybe the man had missed anything.

Meanwhile, Noctis arrived back in Insomnia, recognizing that Umbra brought him back close to the Citadel. He breathed a relieved sigh, before noting that Umbra now appeared to have the small leather journal for him from Luna. It had a golden bird and golden leaves embossed on the outside. Noctis carefully took the journal from Umbra, sure that it contained an explanation from his friend, before patting Umbra on the head. Umbra then disappeared, just as Noctis heard the sound of running footsteps coming his way. He’s soon surrounded by three Kingsglaive and a Crownsguard. “Your highness, we’ve been looking all over for you,” one of them said, and Noctis sighed before standing up. He brushed himself off.

“I know,” he replied, looking toward the Citadel. The Crownsguard was on the phone, probably calling the Marshal Cor Leonis to let him know they’d found Noctis, while one of the Kingsguard was likely calling Titus Drautos, their captain. They started to usher Noctis toward the Citadel, and he went with them willingly while pulling out his phone to check it. He had several missed phone calls and text messages from both Ignis and Gladiolus, along with a missed phone call from his father. Noctis winced, knowing that if his father called, he was going to be in serious trouble.

When they arrived at the Citadel, Noctis found both his advisor and his shield standing there waiting for him. Ignis Scientia, his advisor, had a stern expression on his face. He was a bespectacled man with light brown/ash blond hair and piercing green eyes. He was always neatly dressed and usually had a serious, no-nonsense appearance that belied his kind heart. Noctis could usually manipulate his way back into Ignis’s good graces after pissing him off, but knew that today’s incident would probably not be one of those times. Gladiolus Amicitia, Noctis’s shield, was standing with his arms crossed and looked even angrier. His usual warm, brown eyes were glaring daggers at him, and his dark hair was unkempt and sweaty, instead of the carefully manicured messy and flowing back to his shoulders look that he usually kept. Noctis felt guilty, for he knew Gladio had probably been running everywhere looking for him. Gladio was a massive man with a large bird of prey tattoo across his entire back and arms that was all muscle and looked every part the shield, although if you got to know him you’d realize he’s also a voracious reader and very much a people person.

He also was the person most tasked with keeping Noctis safe and was probably furious that Noctis had left without him knowing. Noctis knew that Gladio would get his revenge later that afternoon in training, for unlike Ignis he never let Noctis get away with doing something stupid. He loved Noctis like a little brother, but knew that he had to be tough on him as well. For now, however, he was remaining silent to allow Ignis to get his lecture in. “Noctis Lucis Caelum,” Ignis started, and Noctis flinched. The Crownsguard and Kingsglaive had melted away, leaving Noctis with his two friends. “What on Eos were you thinking?” Ignis continued.

As they head inside the Citadel, Ignis provided Noctis a long dissertation of how dangerous his actions were, everyone who he had worried, everyone he had inconvenienced, and how disappointed he was in him. He then followed up with how his father had to negotiate postponing the meeting with Niflheim until after lunch which meant coming up with a viable excuse, and how Noctis was going straight to his chambers to change and get ready for the meeting. Noctis groaned at that, knowing that this was part of his punishment from his father and advisor. “This bites,” he grumbled as he headed into his room.

“I want no more shenanigans from you Noctis. You had better be ready in 15 minutes,” Ignis commanded, before sweeping out of the room to get changed himself. Gladio smirked at Noctis before positioning himself outside the door to ensure Noctis didn’t try anything again. Noctis briefly considered it, but knew that the Crownsguard would be on high alert this time and he wouldn’t stand a chance. He pictured the Chancellor’s smug face and groaned again, before dragging himself over to his large closet to find something presentable to change into. It was going to be a long afternoon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 2! I hope everyone enjoys it :)


	3. Punishment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noctis and Prompto are both punished - one fairly and the other unfairly.

After an unpleasant meeting with the Niflheim Chancellor and his entourage, in which the Chancellor kept making quips about the meeting having to be rescheduled and in turn questioned their respect for Niflheim and dedication to maintaining relations, Noctis finally got to escape, only to be called in to a meeting with his father.  Noctis felt dread pool in his stomach as he made his way to his father’s private office, knowing that he would be getting his next lecture for the day.  However, unlike with Ignis who lectured him so often he would sometimes tune him out, when his father reprimanded him Noctis took it more personally due to the respect he held for him.  Noctis took a moment to gather himself before knocking on the door.  It was soon opened by Clarus Amicitia, Gladiolus’s father and King Regis’s shield. 

Clarus, like Noctis’s father, had gone completely gray now.  His hair was neatly shaved and his facial hair was well-trimmed stubble. He was impeccably dressed and usually appeared mild mannered – a stark contrast to his more wild and casually dressed son.  However, once one got to know Clarus, they’d soon notice where Gladio got his personality from.  Clarus had learned to control some of his wild impulses from young adulthood, but he still had a temper and would occasionally fly off the handle, especially when in a more personal setting.  For now, however, he gave Noctis a knowing look.  “Your Majesty, Your Royal Highness is here to see you,” he announced, and Noctis flinched at the formal address that Clarus used for him; the Shield was probably annoyed with him for disrupting their day and causing his son unneeded stress.

“Very well.  You may let him in,” Regis replied, and Noctis felt his chest tighten.  His father had hidden it well at the meeting, but now sounded incredibly drained.  Noctis had noticed him wearing his knee brace earlier, and he couldn’t help but have his usual fears about his father’s health creep into his thoughts.  Noctis lowered his head and stepped past Clarus, who quietly stepped out and gently shut the door behind him.  Noctis stood awkwardly for a moment, waiting for his father to speak. 

His father let him stand in silence for a few moments to reflect on his actions.  Noctis instead tried not to think about how much his father had aged in recent years and carefully avoided looking at him as his eyes traveled around the room.  Regis’s personal study was much smaller than his formal study and contained a few bookshelves, neatly organized and maintained but fully stocked, his desk, comfortable leather chairs, and a small table that he, Clarus, and Cor would often sit at when having discussions they didn’t want others to hear.  Noctis found himself staring at the only portrait that Regis kept in the room – one painted when he was a child that was a family portrait of him and his father with his mother Aulea included posthumously.  After a moment of studying it, he heard his father’s seat creak and looked over to see Regis carefully stand up, using a cane so he could walk over and stand in front of Noctis.  Noctis was still shorter than his father, and he had to look up slightly to meet his eyes. 

Regis reached out and placed a firm hand on his son’s shoulder.  His eyes looked weary and there was a hint of the disappointment that Noctis had been so worried about.  However, there was also love and worry in his expression as he took in his son’s appearance.  “You greatly upset me today, son,” Regis gently chastised, and Noctis had to steel himself to continue to meet his gaze.  He desperately wanted to look away, but he didn’t want to disappoint his father any further.

“I know,” Noctis replied, biting his lip.  “I am sorry.  I just…”

Regis waited patiently for Noctis to continue.  “I can’t stand that Chancellor!  He is always disrespectful toward you and it’s aggravating!”  Noctis pulled away from Regis and crossed his arms over his chest.  “I didn’t want to deal with him today.  But…I know I messed up making you have to reschedule with them.  I…I hope I didn’t make things worse…”

Regis chuckled, surprising his son.  “It was definitely an inconvenience, but you know as well as I that they would have found something else to complain about.  The reason why I am upset is because you worried me and your friends today.  We at first thought that the Niflheim Empire had abducted you when you seemingly disappeared without a trace.  Especially since you did not respond on your phone and we were unable to track it.”

Noctis was surprised by that information and realized how upset they had been.  And while his father was trying to downplay it, Noctis knew from Ignis how difficult it was to rearrange the meeting and what an inconvenience it was to the Crownsguard and Kingsglaive to go looking for him.  “I was just trying to hold out on getting caught so I could skip the meeting,” he mumbled.  “I knew that if I got caught too early, I would be forced to go.”

“Which is why we rescheduled,” Regis smiled.  “So you would learn a lesson about trying to avoid duty.”

Noctis sighed.  “Yeah…”  He waited a few moments, expecting Regis to add to his punishment as he usually did.  When his father didn’t reply further, Noctis glanced at him, noticing a warm look in his father’s eyes that he was not expecting.  “Dad?” Noctis asked hesitantly.

“Yes, my son?”

“Umm…it’s not like I want it or anything, but aren’t you going to punish me?” Noctis asked.

Regis chuckled.  “I believe having to sit in on the meeting was punishment enough.” His eyes twinkled.  “Besides, we have a lot to prepare for with your birthday celebration coming up.  I do not believe you have time on your schedule for me to add anything further.”

Noctis’s grimaced at the thought.  He always did have a lot on his plate when preparing for the celebration.  Especially since this year he would be turning 20 and thus considered legally an adult.  “I guess you’re right…” he muttered.

Regis held back another smile at his grumpy son before pretending to check his watch.  “I do believe you have a sparring session with your shield,” he said.  “I do not want to make you late.”

Noctis sighed dramatically, before waving at his father and heading out of the room.  Clarus was waiting outside and allowed Noctis to pass before heading back into the study to meet with his King.  Noctis headed down the hall at a leisurely pace, not really wanting to hurry to his training since he knew what was in store for him.  ‘Between Iggy, the Chancellor, Dad, and now Gladio I can’t get a break,’ Noctis mentally whined.  He stopped by his room to change into some sweats to spar in before making his way to the training room.  He knew he was a few minutes late, but had his father’s meeting as an excuse so wasn’t worried.

He stepped into the training room and found Gladio already doing stretches as he waited.  Ignis was also leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, waiting for him.  He had changed after the meeting as well into his normal dress shirt and slacks – Ignis hardly ever dressed casually and preferred to dress in business attire at all times.  Gladiolus was allowed more freeway since he was often training to protect Noctis and helping to train the Crownsguard, and thus got away with dressing more casually.  He did, however, often have to dress up for events and always pulled it off with class when he did.  “Took you long enough,” Gladio grunted when Noctis arrived.  This time, Ignis was quiet, passing off the baton to Gladio since they were in his turf.

Noctis withheld a sigh, knowing that a show of attitude right now would just make things harder on him.  “I had to speak to my dad after the meeting,” he said, starting to do his own warm ups.  If he was about to get pummeled, he had to make sure he was limber and could take it.

Gladio nodded, and he watched carefully as Noctis warmed up.  Once he deemed the prince ready, he motioned for him to start.  They both crouched into a fighting stance, and after a few moments of sizing each other up, Noctis withdrew his sword from the armiger and launched an attack at Gladio.  Gladio easily pulled his own broadsword out as well, tapping into Noctis’s magic to do so, and effortlessly parried the attack.  He pushed Noctis back and quickly switched into offense, chasing the prince down as he regained his balance.  They quickly fell into a rhythm – after all, Gladio was Noctis’s primary teacher and they had spent years sparring against each other.  However, Gladio was more aggressive than usual today and wanted to ensure Noctis got a real workout after worrying him all morning, and Noctis soon found he had more trouble keeping up than he usually did.  He was forced to switch into a defensive stance as Gladio kept coming at him for an attack; his shield seemed to have endless stamina, so while Noctis was quicker, it didn’t take long for Gladio to wear him out.  It wasn’t until Gladio got a good hit in, knocking Noctis’s sword from his hand and causing him to slide across the room, that they wrapped up for the afternoon.  Noctis lay on the ground panting, and Ignis came over to hand him a towel and a bottle of water.

Gladio sat down next to him with his own bottle of water, and Ignis soon crouched down as well.  After taking a long swig from the bottle, and waiting a moment for Noctis’s breathing to even out, Gladio finally asked, “Do you know how badly you screwed up this morning?”

Noctis nodded, his arm draped across his face.  “Yeah, trust me, I definitely know.”

Gladio smirked, and lightly smacked Noctis’s shoulder.  “And?”

“I’m sorry,” Noctis said dully.  “I know I worried both of you.  I just…I hate that Niff.”

“He is rather…maddening,” Ignis agreed, and Gladio snorted.

“I would say he’s more than just maddening, Iggy,” he replied.  “Now, I want you to be honest, Noct.  Where the hell did you go?  We looked everywhere for you and couldn’t track you on your phone.  That’s never happened before and as your Shield I have to know for next time.  We thought you had been abducted.”

Noctis sighed.  “It’s…kind of a weird story.  I’m not sure if you’ll believe me or not.”

“Try me,” Gladio replied.

Noctis explained how he had met Umbra in the business district and wound up in the forest, unsure of where he was, in the dark.  The news alarmed both Ignis and Gladio – they knew about Umbra and Pryna and that they had certain abilities as messengers for the Oracle, so that part wasn’t exactly surprising.  But Noctis ending up in an unknown place, at night, by himself was distressing.  Noctis explained how Umbra brought him to a tower in a clearing, and how shortly afterward he had disappeared.  He talked about the Iron Giant forming and how Noctis had warped into the tower for safety and met a strange young man.  He briefly went over some of their discussion, and how he found out he was in Malmalam Thicket in Cleigne of all places.  That caused a reaction, and Gladio immediately said, “Hold up, you’re telling me Umbra brought you all the way out to Malmalam Thicket?”

“As far as I can tell, yeah,” Noctis nodded.

“If this information is accurate, then what on Eos could Lady Lunafreya be thinking?” Ignis pondered.  “And who is this mysterious boy in the tower?”

“I have no idea.  I think his dad may be a Glaive though?” Noctis replied.  “He said he could warp like I could.”  This information was also surprising to his friends, but they both decided to table it for now.

“How did you get back?” Gladio asked.  “Why didn’t you contact us?”

“Well, I was going to contact you, but Umbra showed back up and brought me back to Insomnia,” Noctis explained.  “Oh! Right, he left me Luna’s notebook.  Maybe she has something in there about Prompto or the tower.”

Ignis and Gladio exchanged glances.  “I know that the notebook is very personal to you, but I would like to take a look and see what I can glean from her message,” Ignis replied, and Noctis nodded.

“Of course.  I left it in my room though, so I guess we should head over there,” Noctis replied.

Gladio stood up and reached out a hand to help Noctis up as well.  Ignis gracefully stood next to them and they headed back to Noctis’s room.  Through the windows in the hall on the way, they noted the Chancellor and his entourage heading out from the Citadel, and Noctis breathed a sigh of relief.  ‘Good riddance,’ he thought.

Once they reached the prince’s room, Gladio sprawled himself out on the bed, placing his hands behind his head, while Noctis grabbed Luna’s journal from where he had left it on his bedside table.  He opened it up to read it quickly, his brows furrowing at the short message.  “I don’t think you’re going to get much out of this, Specs,” he said before handing the journal over to Ignis.  He then plopped onto his recliner – his bedroom basically had a large living area where he would play games and entertain Ignis and Gladio when they hung out.

Ignis gingerly sat on Noctis’s couch before crossing his legs and pulling it open to the page in question.  He scanned over the message, eyebrow lifting as he read.  “What’s it say, Iggy?” Gladio called from the bed.

“It essentially wishes for Noctis and this unknown young man to become friends,” Ignis replied.  He then glanced at Noctis.  “Have you told the king about this?”

Noctis shook his head, thinking about the cane, knee brace, and added wrinkles to his father’s face.  “I don’t want to worry him.  Besides, I trust Luna.  She wouldn’t do anything to hurt me,” he replied confidently.

“Well, if you plan on going back there, you’re taking me with you,” Gladio replied.  “While I do trust Lunafreya, we don’t know anything about that guy or that tower.  You said you think his dad’s a Glaive – why would a Glaive be hiding his son all the way in Malmalam Thicket?  It all sounds fishy to me.”

“I agree,” Ignis replied.  “There is a lot of troubling information and not a lot of answers.  However, as Lady Lunafreya is the Oracle, I am sure she has her reasons.  And I do agree she can be trusted.  I believe we should just be cautious.”

“I get it,” Noctis replied.  “Yeah, I definitely won’t go again without either of you.”

“Which begs the question, when will we go again?” Ignis asked.

“When do I have an opening in my schedule?” Noctis replied, leaning forward in his chair.  Ignis and Gladio were surprised to see their normally lethargic prince so energetic.

“Well, it just so happens, the king opened up a hole in your schedule for tomorrow,” Ignis mused thoughtfully.  “While we were rescheduling the meeting today.”

“Dad did?” Noctis asked in surprise.  His father had been acting weird that day, and he couldn’t figure out why.  “Well, I’m not going to complain.”

Gladio threw one of Noct’s pillows at him, and Noctis sputtered at him.  “What was that for?” he asked incredulously.

“For being a spoiled brat,” Gladio joked, while Ignis chuckled.

“Isn’t attacking the prince like a punishable offense?” Noctis grumbled good naturedly.

Gladio smirked.  “I believe as your shield I have special privileges,” he bragged.  He then grew more serious.  “Are you determined to go back there tomorrow?”

Noctis nodded.  “As long as Umbra shows up, yeah.  In fact,” he reached his hand out to Ignis for the journal.  Ignis leaned forward to hand it to him, and Noctis pulled out a pen from his armiger to write.  “I’ll write Luna back letting her know I’m planning on going to see him tomorrow.  Umbra always shows up when I’m ready to return this thing, so they’ll probably help us out.”

Shortly afterward, Umbra did in fact show up to take the journal, and Noctis had to get ready for the next item on his always busy schedule.

Later that evening, as the sun was beginning to set in Cleigne, Prompto was in the middle of making dinner when he was surprised to hear the sound of someone warping outside.  He looked to the window and was slightly disappointed to see Ardyn appear in the window instead of the man from that morning.  ‘He wasn’t actually gone long this time,’ Prompto mused.  “Welcome back, father,” he called, before setting the table.  “Are you going to be joining me tonight for dinner?”

“I’m afraid not, poppet,” Ardyn replied.  He had a bag with him that he used to stash his paperwork.  “I am going to be terribly busy, you see.”

Instead of looking hurt like he usually would, Prompto just shrugged and turned back to the stove to stir the curry he was making.  He hummed cheerfully to himself, thinking about the possibility of seeing Noctis again and learning about the outside world.  He wasn’t going to let Ardyn ruin his mood that evening.

Ardyn, however, noticed, and instead of heading downstairs like he originally planned, he instead sat down at the kitchen table and watched Prompto suspiciously.  “What’s got you in such a disgustingly cheerful mood?” he finally asked in amusement, and Prompto flinched.

“I’m just glad to see you’re home so early,” Prompto replied, nervously focusing on the stew, and Ardyn’s eyes narrowed.  Prompto was a terrible liar due to the fact he was such an honest person, and Ardyn wanted to know what he was trying to hide.  He began to scan the room, trying to pick up on anything amiss.  Prompto seemed to notice Ardyn’s lack of response, and he turned his head slightly to see what Ardyn was doing.  He noted the older man searching the room and quickly decided to come up with a subject to draw away his attention.  If Ardyn ever caught wind that another person had been in the tower, Prompto knew it wouldn’t be good.  “So, about what we discussed yesterday…” Prompto started.

Ardyn folded his hands on his lap and turned back to face Prompto.  “I am not sure what you could possibly be referring to,” Ardyn replied evenly.  However, Prompto detected a dangerous lilt in his voice.  Instead of dropping the subject, he decided to steamroll right ahead, knowing that it would definitely distract the other man.

“You know, the possibility of seeing the floating lights,” Prompto pressed.  “I just don’t understand why you wouldn’t take me with you.  I know you can’t get hurt, and we both know I can heal…” he started to say, but Ardyn cut him off.

“Which is precisely why you cannot go.  We discussed this yesterday, poppet, and agreed to drop the subject.”  Ardyn’s usual smile was turning malicious, and his eyes held none of their usual mirth; instead they looked outright malevolent. 

“It would only be for one night though.  It’s coming up in a few days and…” Prompto continued, and Ardyn finally snapped.

“I told you, boy,” he spat out.  “You are not going anywhere.  In fact, you are not leaving this tower **_ever_**!”  His voice deepened as he yelled, and his face had completely changed at this point as well. Prompto paled and dropped his spoon that he was using to stir with on the ground.  His pulse began to race, for he had only seen this daemonic side to Ardyn a few times in his lifetime, and it never ended well for him.  When Ardyn’s other side came out, his skin would become pale, and the whites of his eyes would turn black and start oozing with an inky like substance, similar to the daemons outside.  His mouth would also start dripping the black ichor, while his veins would appear to turn black. 

Anytime this side of Ardyn came out, he would become violent, and as a result Prompto always immediately became terrified when it happened.  He quickly sprinted from the room, narrowly avoiding a blast of energy that Ardyn had aimed at him.  It instead hit Prompto’s pot, knocking his dinner over and spilling it out on the floor.  Prompto held back tears and quickly escaped the room, rushing down to the cellar and locking the door behind him.   Ardyn continued to rampage upstairs for a few more minutes, breaking apart a few plates, ripping up a couple of books, and breaking a few of the nick knacks scattered throughout the room. 

Eventually, he calmed down and caught hold of himself, willing his daemonic side back until his skin was clear and normal looking once again.  After checking his appearance in the mirror, he plastered a smile back on his face before heading downstairs, stopping right outside the door to the cellar.  Inside, he could hear Prompto’s quiet sobs.  “I really wish you wouldn’t cause me to get so upset with you,” Ardyn said through the door.  “It truly hurts me more than it could ever hurt you when you bring that side of me out.”

Prompto didn’t reply, but Ardyn could hear him sniffling like he was trying to stop himself from crying.  “Hopefully you can put this floating light nonsense from your head and put this behind us,” Ardyn replied.  “I will be working in my room, so try not to make too much noise.”  He then headed back upstairs to grab his bag before heading to his room and shutting the door.  Prompto stayed huddled in the cellar for awhile longer, willing himself to calm down and for his tears to subside.  Once he was sure he had pulled himself together, he quietly headed back upstairs, meekly skirting around Ardyn’s door, before stepping into his room to see the mess Ardyn had left. 

His eyes immediately looked for Solis, his chocobo plush, and he felt relieved to see it had remained unscathed this time; on a previous rampage Solis hadn’t been so lucky and he’d had to repair it.  He then checked for his journal and current sketchbook – the one with the picture of Noctis.  He was relieved to see they were both alright as well, before he slowly began to clean up the mess Ardyn left for him.  He quickly determined what could be saved and what would have to be thrown away, before heading to the kitchen to clean up his ruined dinner; he had lost his appetite anyway.  He ended up going to bed soon afterward, although he had trouble going to sleep as he kept picturing Ardyn’s daemonic face every time he tried to close his eyes.

The next morning, he woke up early as usual and headed into the kitchen to throw himself something together for breakfast; he was starving after having missed supper the night before.  Ardyn walked into the room in the middle of his breakfast of a fried egg and toast.  Prompto looked up as he walked in before quickly looking back down and focusing on his food.  Ardyn broke the awkward silence by announcing he would be leaving again.  “I’m afraid I have to go, poppet,” he explained.  “I hate to leave after an argument, especially when I am only looking out for your best interests, but business calls.”

Prompto blinked at that before looking back up.  “How long will you be gone this time?” he asked quietly, his voice hoarse from crying the night before.  His eyes were also puffy and pink rimmed as well. 

“This time I will be gone quite awhile,” Ardyn admitted.  Whenever he said that, he was usually gone for several weeks.  Prompto quickly thought about his food stock and squinted slightly, trying to calculate if he had enough right now.  He figured that he’d probably be alright as long as Ardyn brought back a large haul with him this time.

“Alright,” Prompto replied, still not wanting to look at the man.

Ardyn tutted.  “Now this simply won’t do.  I can tell that it’s just killing you inside to see me leave again,” he said, a slight mocking edge to his tone.  “Is there anything I can do to cheer you up, poppet?”

“Uh, you can get me more of those nice quality sketchpads and pencils?” Prompto asked.

“Of course I can.  Now you behave while I’m gone,” Ardyn replied.  He had his bag and umbrella with him and tipped his hat at Prompto in farewell before warping out the window.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 3~ I was going to make this chapter longer because I really want to get to the next part of the story, but realized that it would be awkward pacing and wouldn't fit with my previous two chapter sizes. So, I'll just try to write the next part quickly :D


	4. Road Trip

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noctis sets out on a surprise road trip with his friends in celebration of his upcoming birthday.

Prompto wound up moping around in the tower all morning after the incident from last night.  For the first time, he was actually glad that Ardyn would be gone for awhile after their argument the night before.  It also gave him time to try to pour through his books and try to find anything that may mention Lucis or Insomnia.  After lunch, he finally decided to stop moping and start searching, and he was surprised to see after a short search that he did have a few books where Ardyn had missed pulling out everything about Lucis.  One book didn’t explicitly state it was about Insomnia, since Ardyn appeared to have caught any pages with direct mentions of the name, but the picture and description of the city matched what Noctis had described to him the day before.  Prompto realized he had probably overlooked this in the past since it had nothing to outright state where it was.  He had a fascination for Altissia and Tenebrea and usually focused his research on the city built on the water or the beautiful country with the blue, sylleblossom flowers.

In the same book he noticed another city that did still have its name – Lestallum, although there was nothing he could see pinpointing its location.  ‘I bet this city is in Lucis as well,’ he mused, reading with fascination about the women that ran the powerplant there.  He decided if Noctis did come back, he’d ask him about Lestallum first.  He had also found two books with index pages that listed Insomnia and Lucis, but when he tried to check the pages they referenced, he realized the pages had been removed.  His investigation was soon interrupted, however, by a shout outside of his window.  “Hey, Prompto, I’m back!” he heard Noctis’s voice shout, and Prompto immediately jumped up and went to his window.  “I brought friends with me too!”

Prompto peered out, rubbing his eyes at the unexpected brightness.  His eyes were still puffy from crying himself to sleep, and he was dressed in the same exact clothes Noctis had seem him in the day before.  Prompto noticed that Noctis, meanwhile, had changed clothes and was wearing an all black outfit that consisted of a black, fitted t-shirt with a black skull pattern at the top, a short-sleeved jacket that he wore open over it, black cargo capris, and black boots that came up to just below the capris so they showed a bit of his leg. 

Next to him were two men who were both taller than Noctis.  One was a giant of a man with dark, slicked back hair that fell to his shoulders, facial hair along the bottom of his square jaw, a ripped physique that he showed off by not wearing a shirt under his open jacket with short sleeves similar to the one Noctis wore, and black slacks and boots. He also clearly had a tattoo based on the wing pattern Prompto could see running down his arms.  While he looked physically intimidating, the other man who was slightly shorter and much slimmer looked entirely daunting, with green eyes trained sharply on Prompto behind thin framed glasses.  His sandy blond hair was carefully gelled so his bangs pushed up at the front, and he wore a black and purple leopard print shirt, a leather jacket, and black pants held up neatly with a belt.  He also wore white gloves on each hand, while the big guy went without gloves and Noctis only had a glove on his left hand.

“These are my friends,” Noctis introduced.  He pointed at the big guy first, “Gladio,” before motioning at the intimidating man, “and Ignis.”  Gladio gave Prompto a friendly wave, while Ignis continued to study him with his arms crossed.

Prompto waved back, nervously replying, “Um, nice to meet you,” and faltering under Ignis’s penetrating gaze.

“Specs, can you dial down the intensity?” Noctis asked, finally noticing Ignis’s stare.

“Apologies,” Ignis replied, adjusting his glasses and calling forth a shot-hook from the armiger.  Gladio did as well.  Noctis was not strong enough yet to allow Gladio and Ignis to tap into his power for warping, and it also strapped his strength pretty quickly when he had to carry extra weight when warping as well.  Thus, Ignis had prepared ahead of time and had packed some items in the armiger just in case.

“You probably want to step back,” Noctis called, and Prompto nodded before stepping back into his room.  While Prompto was happy to see Noctis again, having two people with him this time made him feel incredibly nervous.  He looked over at Solis on his bed, and he had to hold himself back from grabbing the chocobo plush in order to calm down.

He then steeled himself as he heard Noctis warp to the window and heard the clinking noise as both shot-hooks caught on the bottom of the windowsill as well.  Gladio and Ignis both did a test pull to ensure their hooks were secure before making their way up.  Noctis, meanwhile, dropped down into the room after warping.  Now that he was up close and could see Prompto clearly, he immediately noted that the other man had been crying, and demanded, “What’s wrong?”

Prompto shied away, turning his face away from Noctis’s worried gaze.  “I just got into a fight with my father last night, it’s no big deal,” he lied.  He couldn’t explain to Noctis about Ardyn’s daemonic side or how terrified he had been the night before.

“Hm, I can relate,” Noctis replied as Gladio and Ignis made their way over the windowsill.  “I got into a lot of trouble yesterday myself.  Kind of snuck out to avoid something when I ended up here.”

Ignis and Gladio immediately began to walk around the room, inspecting it carefully, while Noctis continued to chat with him.  Prompto’s eyes followed the two of them, curious as to what they were looking for, while he tried his best to also keep up with Noctis’s conversation.  Both Gladio and Ignis were secretly surprised to find their normally reticent prince suddenly acting chatty.  Noctis was rambling on about Ignis’s tirade, his father’s light admonishment, and Gladio’s brutal training session, and Prompto found some parts of the story hard to follow, until the training part.  “Oh, I do that too,” he finally said, and Noctis stopped.

“You train?  In here?” he asked skeptically.

“Yeah, there’s a training room downstairs,” Prompto nodded.  “Father wanted to make sure I knew how to defend myself in case anyone tried to hurt me.”

Gladio looked incredulous at that statement – who would come to a tower that you could only enter through a window at the top that was located in the middle of nowhere?  Ignis, meanwhile, took the opportunity to ask a few clarifying questions about Prompto’s father.

“What does your father look like?” he asked, curious since Noctis had mentioned he thought he was a Glaive.

Prompto described his burgundy hair and amber eyes and confirmed that he did have the ability to warp and summon weapons like Noctis did.  Both Gladio and Ignis tried to rack their brain for anyone that fit the description in either the Kingsglaive or the Crownsguard but couldn’t think of anyone.

Ignis had also noticed the mixture of art and other nick knacks decorating the room and enquired about that.  “Your father appears to be a well-travelled man,” he pointed out.  “I see things from all over Eos here.”

“Yeah, he travels a lot for work,” Prompto agreed.  “He just left again this morning and won’t be home for awhile…”

That caught Noctis’s attention.  “How long is awhile?” he asked curiously.

“Probably a few weeks,” Prompto replied.  He and Noctis had made their way to the kitchen table and had sat down, while Ignis and Gladio continued to investigate the room.  Gladio had noticed the door heading down the stairs, but when he reached for the knob, Prompto immediately jumped up.  “Um, please don’t go down there.  My father’s room is downstairs, and he doesn’t like me getting into his stuff.”

Gladio studied Prompto for a moment and noted that his concern seemed genuine.  He then stepped away from the door.  “Sorry about that,” he grunted, before leaning against the wall.  “Didn’t mean to upset you.”

“No, it’s ok,” Prompto replied.

Noctis caught his attention again.  “So, if he’s going to be gone for a few weeks…that would give you plenty of time to visit the lantern festival,” he pointed out.  “We could take you there and bring you back, and there’d be no way he’d ever know.”

Unlike last time, where Prompto had shot him down pretty quickly, Prompto actually stopped to consider it for a moment.  He thought back to his argument with Ardyn the night before, and how awful it had made him feel.  He also remembered his internal promise to finally see the floating lights in person, and that helped him make his decision.  “I would like to go, if you’re willing to take me,” he meekly replied, and Noctis shot him a wide grin.

“Alright!” he said, leaning forward to excitedly clap Prompto on the shoulder.  “This is going to be a lot of fun!”

Prompto got caught up in Noctis’s good mood and smiled widely back at him.  Noctis blinked in surprise, realizing that the freckled blond actually looked really good when he smiled, in spite of the shabby clothes and messy hair.  Both Gladio and Ignis immediately noticed Noctis’s reaction, and peered over at Prompto, Gladio with a bemused grin while Ignis looked thoughtful.  “Do you have anything to wear for the journey?” Ignis asked, and Prompto looked confused.  He looked at his clothes as if trying to figure out if there was something wrong with them.  “I will take that as a no,” Ignis sighed, before trying to remember if he had any of Noctis’s clothes in the armiger.  Prompto was slightly shorter than Noctis and a bit thinner, but they were roughly the same size so it would work.

Ignis suddenly snapped his fingers, remembering that there was indeed an outfit in the armiger from a brief moment when Noctis was in high school and had a punk phase.  He closed his eyes and willed the clothes to be pulled from the armiger, and they suddenly appeared in his arms along with the corresponding boots to wear with a flash of blue light and the sound of crystals breaking.  “This will have to suffice,” he commented, before handing the clothes to Prompto.

Prompto took them hesitatingly, before glancing questioningly at Noctis.  “You can have them,” Noctis shrugged.  He hadn’t seen that outfit in a few years and had no attachment to it.

Prompto grinned in response, before going to a corner of the room and turning around to change.  The other three respectfully moved into the kitchen area and turned away from Prompto to give him some privacy.  “What do you think?” Prompto asked after several minutes, and the three of them turned around to give him an appraising look.

Prompto was dressed in a black, sleeveless shirt with a white, stitch pattern running down it, black leopard print pants, a white belt, and a black sleeveless jacket over the shirt that was covered in patches and spikes.  The outfit really showed off his arms, which were surprisingly well toned for someone that was shut in all the time.  Since the outfit was a few years old, it was a bit smaller than what Noctis wore now and so fit Prompto perfectly.  While Noctis had looked a bit goofy wearing it in high school, Prompto actually pulled it off and it seemed to fit him somehow.  He had also put on the gloves that came with it, and the only thing he kept on that he had on earlier was a leather bracelet covering one wrist; Noctis figured it was probably a memento from his father or something.  The only thing Prompto hadn’t put on were the boots that still sat next to him on the floor.  “You look good,” Noctis said with a grin.  “But, why didn’t you put on your shoes?”

“I’m…not entirely sure how,” Prompto admitted.  Ardyn always wore shoes, but he had never brought any for Prompto to wear so he wasn’t sure how it worked.

Ignis patiently helped Prompto figure out how to put on the boots, and he helped him tuck his pants legs underneath so the boots rested on top.  “Now you look presentable,” Ignis said with a smile, and Prompto relaxed, realizing the intimidating man had a nice side as well.

“Yeah, you look good kid,” Gladio complimented.

“Is there anything you want to bring along?” Noctis asked, and Prompto immediately nodded, before going to grab his sketchbook and a set of pencils along with his journal.  He wanted to document his journey the best that he could.  He looked longingly at Solis, but he figured it would be best the leave the plush behind so it wouldn’t get dirty.

“Is that it?” Gladio asked, and Prompto thought for a moment.

“Ah, let me grab one more thing.  I’ll be back in a jiffy!” he said, before disappearing down the stairs.  He moved a bit awkwardly in the shoes since he had never worn any before, but they figured over time he would learn to adjust to them.  While he clamored downstairs, Noctis spotted the chocobo plush that had caught the blond’s attention moments ago, and thoughtfully picked it up before storing it in his armiger just in case.   A few minutes later, Prompto returned carrying a well-made, but antique looking gun.  The word Quicksilver was inscribed along the side, and they could tell that it was custom made.  Prompto also had some bullets with him as well.  “I figured I should put my training to good use,” Prompto said with a shrug.

“Probably a good idea,” Gladio said.  “May I?” Prompto nodded and handed him the weapon.  The pistol was actually a bit heavy, which belied its excellent craftsmanship, and Gladio could tell based on the design that it was definitely Lucian.  He found it strange that a gun like this would be here when the rest of the room seemed pretty devoid of anything from Lucis, especially Insomnia.  He wished that he could go downstairs and take a look at Prompto’s father’s room, but he didn’t want to break the young man’s trust.

“This is a very good weapon,” he said.  “Do you mind if we store it and your other stuff in the armiger?”

Prompto shook his head.  Gladio nodded before the gun and bullets disappeared with a blue flash of light, and Noctis similarly took Prompto’s sketchbook, pencils, and journal in order to do the same thing.  “So, are you ready to head outside?” Noctis asked curiously.  Surely, the freckled youth had actually left the tower before, right?  Even if he didn’t appear to have shoes or anything other than sleepwear.

Prompto gulped, appearing nervous now that the time had finally come.  He headed to the window and looked down, gripping the windowsill tightly and looking unsure.  “Hey,” Noctis said, placing a reassuring hand on Prompto’s shoulder.  “Everything will be ok.  How about I warp down with you?”

“Would you?” Prompto asked, after contemplating the offer for a moment.  He had a feeling if he tried to climb down the ropes like Ignis and Gladio he’d never make it out the window.

“Yeah, no problem,” Noctis said confidently, while Ignis gave an exasperated sigh.

“Be careful, Noct,” he cautioned.

Noctis waved away his concern, before placing a careful arm around Prompto’s waist.  He held him securely against him, causing Prompto to blush at the sudden closeness.  “Ready?” Noctis asked, and Prompto nodded uncertainly.  Noctis grinned in reply, before he threw his sword to the ground.  He and Prompto immediately disappeared with a flash of blue light, Noctis with one arm keeping Prompto steady while the other reached for the sword.  He reappeared on the ground with his sword in hand, Prompto holding tightly with his arms around his neck and looking terrified at the sudden speed at which they had just moved.

“Remind me to never do that again,” Prompto said, and Noctis laughed. 

“You can let go now,” he gently reminded Prompto, who slowly unwound his arms from around Noctis’s neck.  As Gladio and Ignis rappelled down the tower, Noctis watched closely as Prompto carefully kneeled down and took off one of his gloves to wave his hand along some of the tall grass.  His indigo eyes were wide eyed in amazement, and the expression tugged at Noctis’s heartstrings.  He found it both endearing, yet sad as he realized that Prompto really had never left that tower before.  Prompto then reached over and ran a finger along one of the petals of the many wildflowers scattered throughout the field as Ignis and Gladio walked up, also taken in by the young man’s wonder.

“I never knew something could feel so soft,” Prompto murmured to himself, and then suddenly leapt up energetically.  He began to run around the field, taking in every new thing he came across, and relishing the fact he no longer had any walls keeping him inside.

“I think…he’s really never left that tower,” Noctis said sadly, before turning to face Gladio and Ignis.  Gladio’s expression had turned dark, and Noctis could tell his friend wished he could find Prompto’s father and give him a piece of his mind.  Ignis, meanwhile, had a more empathetic expression on his face. 

“Let us ensure that he enjoys his newfound freedom then,” he replied slowly.  He also wanted to figure out who Prompto’s father was, for an exponential number of reasons now.

Gladio cracked his knuckles.  “And if your new pal decides he doesn’t want to go back, we’ll help him there too,” he agreed.  They then began to look around the field, wondering if Umbra would pop back up now that Prompto was with them in order to take them back to Insomnia.

Their search was interrupted by Noctis’s text ringtone which sounded like a Chocobo’s kweh.  Noctis pulled out his phone and input his password, before pulling up the text message which was from Lunafreya.  To his surprise, her message implored him to enjoy his journey with his new friend, and she informed him that his father had dropped off a vehicle at the road for the trip.  A few minutes later he gets a message from his father essentially saying the same thing.  “My son, when I came of age I took a road trip with my closest friends,” he wrote.  “We forged an unbreakable bond on that trip, and I wish for you to experience the same before your birthday.  Lady Lunafreya tells me that you have made a new friend.  I hope you all become closer on your trip back to Lucis.  I cannot wait to see you.  Walk tall, my son.”

Noctis’s mouth dropped open, and both Gladio and Ignis gave him questioning looks.  “Did you know about this?” Noctis asked before shoving his phone at Ignis.

Ignis’s eyes scanned the King’s message, his eyebrow raised.  “I was not informed of this plan,” he slowly replied after a moment of reading. 

“Luna sent one too – take a look at that,” Noctis pointed out.  Gladio read over Ignis’s shoulder.

“Son of a bitch,” he said.  “I think the King and Lunafreya tricked us!”

“They certainly seem to be aware of something that we have not grasped, as of yet,” Ignis agreed.  “And it all centers around young Prompto.”

“Yeah?” Prompto asked, finally returning to the group after his sprint around the field.  His hair was even messier than usual, and Ignis suddenly wish he had time to cut it and shape it into something a little more appealing.  He figured he would have time at a later date, especially if Noctis’s schedule had been suddenly cleared for a road trip.

“Well, it looks like you’re in for a treat,” Noctis said.  “Apparently, my dad wants us to go on a road trip.  You can come with us to Insomnia so you can see the best place to view the lanterns!”

“That sounds fun!” Prompto said cheerfully.  He was refreshed after his jog and being outside for the first time, and Ardyn had been pushed far into the back of his mind for now.  “What’s a road trip anyway?”

Gladio guffawed in response to Prompto’s earnest question, but immediately began to describe the tradition to Prompto.  While they talked, Ignis looked around the clearing, trying to figure out where the road would be located so they could get to the car.  Noctis figured out what Ignis was trying to do and interrupted their conversation.

“Hey, Prompto.  Where was it that you usually saw the lanterns coming from?” he asked.

“Oh, that direction,” Prompto pointed.  It was straight out from where his window faced in the tower.

“Good thinking, Noctis,” Ignis complimented, deducing what Noctis had done.  More than likely the road would be in the same direction as the town. 

As they headed through the woods, Gladio and Ignis kept an eye out for any beasts that may cause the trouble, while Noctis watched Prompto as he gazed at everything he encountered in pure amazement.  He pointed out every small thing to Noctis, who good naturedly met his enthusiasm every time.  Eventually, Prompto let out a sigh.  “What is it?” Noctis asked.

“I just wish I had a way to properly document all of this,” he admitted.  “I feel like my sketches and journal just won’t be enough.  It’s so overwhelming…”

Noctis thought for a moment, before an idea popped into his head.  He quickly pulled out his phone and tapped the camera icon.  “Hey, take a look at this,” he said, showing Prompto his phone.

Prompto had a let of questions the moment he laid eyes on it, but Noctis waved him off.  “Look, I’ll answer everything you want once we get to the car.  For now, I want to show you how to do this.”  He quickly ran through teaching Prompto how to use the phone to take pictures, and on the remainder of the walk Prompto continued to fiddle with the camera, playing with the different settings and testing them out on things he found interesting.  He took pictures of the trees, of the ravine, of the river that they passed by on their way to find the road.  He took pictures of Noctis, Ignis, and Gladiolus who all tolerated him whole heartedly.  Eventually, however, Ignis finally spotted the road.

“I do believe I see the car,” he said in relief.

Gladio whistled.  “Your dad’s even gifting you that car early,” he commented, for sitting inconspicuously on the road was the Star of Lucis, a car King Regis had commissioned for Noctis’s 20th birthday.  It was a beautiful, black car with a sleek design and had silver rims with an elegant star shape on them.  It was only a two door, so it would be a tight squeeze in the back.  It wasn’t a convertible like King Regis’s car, the Regalia, but it did have a retractable sunroof.

Before Noctis could say anything, Ignis immediately declared, “I will be driving,” and pulled the main set of keys from the armiger. 

Noctis pouted, while Gladio also declared, “And I call shotgun.”

“Are you seriously making me sit in the back of my own car?” Noctis asked.

“Do you seriously think I could fit in the back seat?” Gladio replied, and Noctis laughed trying to picture it.

“Ok, you do have a point,” Noctis admitted.  “I guess you and I will just have to squeeze back there,” he turned to Prompto. 

Prompto was staring at the car in awe, and Noctis suddenly realized he had probably never seen a car before.  “Let’s get closer so I can really show her off,” he said proudly, before taking off toward the car.  Ignis shouted at him to slow down as Prompto immediately followed suit.

Once they reached the car, Prompto hesitatingly reached out to touch it after looking at Noctis for permission.  “It’s so amazing,” he breathed, before immediately pulling out Noctis’s phone to take a picture.

“Well, since your father has cleared your schedule for this trip, where would you like to go first?” Ignis asked as he and Gladio caught up.  Noctis’s car had a built-in navigation system, so Ignis would just have to type in the location to see where to go.

“I’ve never been to Lestallum before,” Noctis mused.  Prompto brightened, immediately remembering the city from his research earlier.  “We’re in the right region, so why not start there?”  He noticed Prompto’s excitement and felt he had made the right choice.

“Lestallum it is,” Ignis agreed, and they all squeezed into the car.  Ignis rolled down the windows and the sunroof to Prompto’s amazement, and then he fiddled with the music and navigation system so they could head out on their journey.  As the car began to move, Noctis was proud at the smooth way it drove, and couldn’t wait to finally drive it himself.  He distracted himself until then by answering all of Prompto’s questions to the best of his ability about his phone, the technology in the car, and some of the things they passed by on the drive.  Ignis would occasionally correct Noctis on some tidbit he got wrong, while Gladio pulled out a book from the armiger and focused on reading.  The road trip had officially begun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is the part of the story that I was most excited about! A major reason why Final Fantasy XV caught my eye to begin with was when I saw that it was a story centered around a road trip, and with the main characters being four friends that travelled together. I knew immediately that I wanted to play it haha


	5. Pit Stops

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Chocobros stop for the night and Prompto gets to try some delicious food.

They started their journey travelling north along the river.  Prompto was the most excited, craning his neck around in the back seat to take in all of the sights, but the other three were also interested as well since it was the first time they had been in Cleigne; the tree lined road with breaks in the trees where they could see the river was new to them too, and they found it a refreshing change of pace from the city life.  Although Noctis was trying to appear indifferent as he sprawled across the backseat, his head on the corner between the seat and the window so he could watch Prompto’s excitement comfortably, when Ignis glanced at Noctis’s reflection in the rearview mirror he noted the telling smile tugging at his lips and how relaxed he looked.  Ignis hadn’t seen Noctis truly relaxed in a long time – the pressures of coming of age soon and expectation for the throne meant he always looked a little stiff and was often frustrated.  This break in his routine and chance to have actual freedom was certainly welcome.

Prompto excitedly chatted about everything that he saw, asking questions about the different plants and animals he spotted along the way.  Gladio was more than happy to share his wilderness experience and would take breaks reading his book to regale Prompto with trivia.  He was currently in the process of explaining to Prompto how far a seadevil could spray water (they saw several of them sunbathing next to the river), and Prompto was listening with rapt attention.  Prompto took advantage of the fact that the three of them were being so accommodating, for he was used to Ardyn complaining that he talked too much and to the long periods of time where he would basically talk to himself or to Solis to fill the silence in the tower.  He’d never have someone want to talk to him for very long, and he kept feeling secretly afraid the others would grow tired of it soon.  What he didn’t realize, is that Ignis and Gladio found his bubbly personality refreshing, and especially appreciated the effect it had on their usually sullen prince.

Eventually, the sky began to darken overhead, and a light drizzle began to fall, causing Ignis to roll up the windows and the sunroof.  They fell into a contemplative silence after that, Ignis listening to the sound of the rain pattering on the roof and the soft music coming through the speakers, Gladiolus focusing on his book, Noctis dozing off, and Prompto writing in his journal which Gladio had pulled out for him.  Once Prompto finished with his journal, he set it in the middle between him and Noctis and started to look out at the scenery again.  To his surprise, he soon spotted a solitary house near the road. The house looked a bit weathered but had a well-kept vehicle sitting out front and what appeared to be farmland out behind it.  “So, there are other people outside of the city like me?” Prompto asked in surprise.

“Not quite like you,” Ignis replied.  “But yes, there are a few that brave the wilderness.  Due to the political situation between Lucis and Niflheim, most try to live close to the cities such as Insomnia and Lestallum so they would have the protection of the Kingsglaive stationed there if war broke out.”

Ignis paused for a moment, wanting to ensure that Prompto had understood his explanation.  “Then why do they live out here by themselves?” Prompto asked.

“I imagine they like the freedom it brings,” Ignis replied thoughtfully.  “It is a very difficult life out on the homesteads.  If their anti-daemon lights fail, which can happen, they risk either themselves or their livestock coming to harm.  And there are still dangerous beasts lurking out during the day as well, and weather and climate can be unpredictable for their crops.  However, they do not have to answer to much in way of authority out here since the Crownsguard keep to the capital and the Kingsglaive keep to the cities.”

Prompto listened in fascination to Ignis’s explanation, and Ignis noted that Noctis appeared to have woken up during the conversation and was listening in as well.  He was staring out the window, an unreadable expression on his face, and Ignis knew he was probably thinking of the situation with Niflheim.  Ignis almost regretted mentioning the matter, but he was relieved when Prompto also realized Noctis was awake and leaned forward in order to ask him questions about Lestallum.  He mentioned having actually found it in a book that morning and was curious about the city.  Noctis immediately humored Prompto and began to tell him all that he knew, for although he hadn’t been in person he learned a lot about it in school and in tutoring sessions.

After about an hour of driving in the rain, Ignis finally spotted a rest stop that had a gas station, convenience store, and an RV attached that people could rent in order to avoid driving at night since it was dangerous with the daemons popping up.  There was also a diner, which immediately cheered up Noctis and Gladio and left Ignis with an expression of light revulsion on his face.  “I have not had a burger and fries in ages!” Noctis said excitedly as Ignis pulled up to the pump. 

“For good reason,” Ignis replied delicately, and Gladiolus snorted.

“We all know you try your best to control his diet, Iggy,” he replied, stepping out of the car to stretch.  It was a relief not to be crammed into the vehicle anymore.  “It can’t hurt for him to enjoy himself every once in awhile though.”

“Says the man who would live off cup noodle if I would let you,” Ignis replied dryly.  “Noct’s is not the only diet I watch.”

Gladio grinned bashfully before pulling his seat up so Prompto could clamber out as well.  Ignis similarly let Noctis out, who made a beeline for the convenience store to relieve himself.  They all took turns, Prompto simply fascinated by the more modern appliances in the bathroom.  While the tower did actually have running water (Ardyn had figured it would be more inconvenient to have to bring it up to the tower all of the time), it was on a very basic level and didn’t have all the buttons and options the toilet at the gas station did. 

Afterward, Ignis had Noctis fill up the tank with Gladio to keep him company, while Ignis had Prompto help him pick out snacks for them to keep in the car and for the RV that night.  He had gone ahead and rented it, since there was no way they would make it to Lestallum before nightfall, and he did not want to be stuck on the road with daemons roaming about.  Ignis patiently explained each snack to Prompto and kindly purchased any that he showed interest in trying.  The only thing Ignis purchased for himself was several cans of his favorite brand of coffee drink – Ebony.  He said he would need it if he was to survive being stuck in a car for over a week with the three of them.

He quickly stored some of the snacks in the trunk of the car, with the ones for that night carefully stowed away in the fridge in the RV.  Ignis generally did not like to keep food in the armiger since there was no way to refrigerate it, and he would be pulling Gladio’s cooler from the armiger later to stock with ice for the trip.  He then led them all to the diner – it was a well-known chain in Lucis called the Crow’s Nest and was known for its greasy food and weird, crow shaped humanoid mascot Kenny Crow.  They had a few in Insomnia that Noctis had dragged Gladio and Ignis to occasionally back in high school.  Prompto was fascinated by the scent as he walked in, having never smelled grilling fish and burgers before.  Fries were a new aroma for him as well, freshly cooking in oil and ready to be seasoned, so Prompto was quickly overwhelmed by the new sensations.  He stopped right at the door, swiveling his head to take in the pinball machines with Justice Monsters Five, the counter with barstools for those that wanted to eat facing the cook, and the diner booths that were set along the window looking out at the road.  Gladio, Ignis, and Noctis, meanwhile, had decided to sit at a booth and were looking at menus provided to them by the cook behind the counter.  There were a few other patrons also in the diner – local residents that had travelled from their remote homes to get a bite to eat or fellow travelers that were also making pit stops.

Noctis soon began to wave at Prompto to catch his attention, and he motioned for Prompto to come and join them at the table.  Prompto sat across from Noctis and next to Gladio, while Ignis was next to Noctis.  Noctis handed Prompto a menu and asked, “Do you see anything that looks good?”

Prompto took the menu from him and looked at the list – every single item looked foreign to him.  He shook his head, before closing the menu and setting it down.  He looked bashful and refused to look anyone in the eye.  “Is anything the matter?” Ignis gently asked upon noticing their new companion’s distress.

“I…don’t know what any of that is,” Prompto suddenly admitted.  He was gripping the menu tightly and looked embarrassed.  Gladiolus and Ignis exchanged a glance at the admission, both of them frowning at his reply.  Noctis looked dumbstruck.

 “So, what did you eat back there?” Gladio asked curiously.

Prompto hesitatingly described how his father had brought back fruits, vegetables, and occasionally meat, and how he had to prep the ingredients for storage.  Since it took a lot of energy to heat the stove and he never knew when his father would be back with more firewood, he would try to eat most of the fruits and vegetables raw and would save the stove for cooking meats or for the occasional stew.  “It sounds like you have a very healthy diet,” Ignis replied once he was done, trying to be encouraging.

Noctis’s jaw was clenched, and he was obviously holding himself back from sharing his opinion.  He thought it was bullshit that Prompto’s father barely provided for him and forced him to basically fend for himself with what little he had, but he didn’t want to upset his new friend by making him feel badly about himself.  So, he reigned his temper in and tried to be appear lighthearted instead.  “Well, you’re in for the best meal of your life then,” he said smugly.  “I’ll order for you, just trust me.”

Ignis let out an exasperated sigh.  “At least order the poor boy some vegetables on his burger,” he chastised.  “Not everyone is as averse to them as you.”

“Fine, he can have them,” Noctis said, wrinkling his nose.  “I sure won’t be.”

Gladio laughed as Noctis and Ignis stood up to order.  Noctis got both him and Prompto a cheeseburger with fries and a chocolate shake – his cheeseburger was devoid of any vegetables, while he begrudgingly allowed Prompto’s to include the lettuce, tomato, and pickles.  Ignis wound up getting the Kenny special which was a salmon fillet with fries since there were no healthy side items, and Gladio got the garula steak and a strawberry shake.  When their food arrived, Noctis showed Prompto how to slather the fries with ketchup, ignoring Gladio as he teased him about how he’ll eat ketchup but not a tomato.  Noctis then watched excitedly as Prompto nervously ate his first fry, his indigo eyes immediately lighting up in amazement at the flavor.

“Just wait until you try the burger.  And the shake,” Noctis said proudly, and Ignis let out a sigh.

“It seems I will have to ensure Prompto has one acceptable meal on this journey,” he said stiffly, and Gladio cheered.

“I will never say no to Iggy food,” he said with a grin, before patting Prompto on the shoulder.  “You’re in for a treat, kid.”

They then began to enjoy their meal, everyone glancing over at Prompto as he ate his reverently.  Once his plate and glass were clean, he looked forlornly at them, immediately missing the wonderful food experience.  “Don’t worry, Prom, we’ve got snacks for you to try in the RV,” Noctis grinned.  He still had more food left on his plate, since he was a slow eater.

“Prom?” Prompto asked curiously.

“Yeah, it’s called a nickname,” Noctis replied.  “Kind of like how they call me Noct, we call Gladiolus Gladio, and Ignis Iggy or Specs.  If it’s alright with you, that is.”

Prompto mouthed it to himself a few times, before smiling widely.  “I like it,” he decided.  Noctis grinned back, slight red dusting his cheeks.

“Good, because I like it too,” he declared.  “So, you’ve gotta call me Noct now, ok?”

Prompto nodded.  “Ok, Noct!”

Once everyone had finished eating, they headed to the RV to relax for the rest of the evening before bed.  They had been so focused on Prompto’s first meal, that they had failed to notice the patrons looking at them curiously, or that a few had taken out their phones to snap pictures once they recognized the crown prince. 

They end up breaking into the snacks Ignis had bought earlier that day, excitedly taking turns feeding Prompto the ones they liked and competing over which one he would choose as his favorite.  He ended up being unable to choose since they were all new and wonderful to him, but Noctis and Gladio were both determined to have won Prompto’s tastes over before the end of the trip.  They also played a round of cards at the plastic table sitting outside of the RV; they were safe due to the anti-daemon lights and decided to enjoy the fresh air after the storm that afternoon.  They began to teach Prompto the basics of poker, and they found that he was a quick study.  By the time they turned in for the night, he had won his first game without help and they were all proud of him.

The next morning, they ate an early breakfast at the diner.  Noctis, who would usually be groggy and irritable waking up so early, was excited for a change since he couldn’t wait to introduce Prompto to pancakes. Prompto was soon trying all the flavors of syrup that the Crow’s Nest had out in the morning, deciding ultimately that butter pecan was his favorite.  While Noctis and Prompto tackled their pancakes, Ignis’s breakfast consisted of a strong cup of coffee with eggs and toast, while Gladio had an enormous omelette.  He cut off a piece for Prompto to try as well, and he grinned at the way the young man’s eyes lit up as he ate it.  “I want to get an omelette next time,” Prompto declared, and Gladio smirked at Noctis, deciding it was a win in his favor.

Noctis rolled his eyes, but he refrained from commenting.  Not long afterward, Ignis had pulled out a cooler from the armiger and got ice from the convenience store, before packing up the food that needed to stay cold and placing it in the trunk.  They then all piled into the car for day two of their trip. 

It was very early in the morning, and the sun was just starting to come up, bathing everything in a golden glow as it rose.  Prompto had snapped a few pictures with Noctis’s phone prior to them leaving, for he had quickly learned that it was difficult to capture pictures in a moving vehicle the day before.  He was content to instead jot in his journal his food experiences while Noctis rested his head on Prompto’s shoulder, looking like he was going to doze off again.  Prompto, who had been craving attention his whole life, was thrilled to have Noctis using him as a pillow, and he couldn’t hide the soft smile that graced his face.  Gladio and Ignis were quietly chatting in the front seat as Ignis took sips from his can of Ebony, content now that he had his coffee with him again. 

Noctis managed to stay awake just long enough to spot a sign for a fishing spot up ahead, and immediately shot up to Prompto’s surprise.  “Specs!” he said excitedly, and Ignis immediately sighed.  He had been hoping Noctis had fallen asleep and would have missed the sign.

“Yes, Noct?” he asked, trying to keep his voice pleasant, while Gladio chuckled next to him.  Prompto looked confused, wondering what was going on.

“We’ve gotta check out the fishing spot,” Noctis replied, his eyes shining with enthusiasm.  Fishing was the one thing that never failed to excite the prince, so Ignis knew there would be no talking him out of it.

“I suppose we can take a short detour,” Ignis said, resignation on his face.

“It won’t be so bad, Iggy,” Gladio pointed out.  “Besides, blondie’s never been before.  It’ll be a treat for him.”

Prompto was alert and had set down his journal to peer out the window, trying to figure out what this fishing was they were talking about.  They soon arrived at the fishing area – a pier set up on the river with a little shack next to it where people could buy lures and tackle.  Everyone piled out of the car, Ignis walking over to a bench overlooking the river so he could relax while Noctis fished, Prompto clutching Noctis’s phone to take pictures, and Gladio and Noctis looking through his fishing gear that he had pulled out of the armiger to ensure he had everything he needed.  Noctis decided to check out the tackle shop, excited when he spotted a lure he didn’t have yet and immediately buying it.  He then strode confidently to the end of the pier and set up to fish, completely in the zone and ignorant to everything else going on around him. 

Gladio, meanwhile, took the time to explain fishing to Prompto, pointing out the different strength line, rods, and reels and what type of fish you could catch with them.  He also went through the lures and explained which one Noctis was using and why.  Prompto curiously asked questions throughout the explanation, finding it fascinating, before wandering off to take pictures of the river and of Noctis fishing.  Gladio then headed over to sit next to Ignis, who had his phone out and was trying to make a call.  “Calling the King?” Gladio asked as he stretched out his legs and leaned back against the bench.

“I am,” Ignis replied, before holding up his hand to indicate the call had connected.  To his surprise, Clarus answered.

“Hello Ignis.  Reggie’s in a meeting and can’t answer,” he replied.  “News has hit already about your road trip so he’s in a damage control meeting with the council who are of course ‘concerned that they hadn’t heard about this trip’.”

Ignis arched an eyebrow, surprised that not even the council had been informed about the trip.  “How do people know already?” Ignis asked instead of commenting on his concern.

“Pictures started circulating online of you all eating at a diner,” Clarus said in amusement.  “You lot weren’t exactly trying to be subtle.”  Ignis pinched the top of his nose at his reply, realizing he should have thought about how conspicuous they were.  They hadn’t even tried to hide Noctis’s face.  “It’s alright though.  They’re spinning it as great PR and a chance for Noctis to meet his people before he comes of age.  So, keep doing what you’re doing.”

Ignis breathed a sigh of relief.  “I am pleased to hear that,” he replied.

“Is my son next to you?” Clarus asked.  “I would like to speak to him.”

“Of course,” Ignis replied, before handing his phone over to Gladio.  “It is your father,” he mouthed, and Gladio nodded before taking the phone.

“Yeah?” he asked.

“Gladio, I need you to listen closely,” Clarus said, immediately serious.  Gladio sat up straight in response, immediately alert and training his eyes to where Noctis stood on the pier.  He knew that tone of voice, and that Clarus was talking shield business.  “I am not sure what the king is thinking, having you all go on this sudden road trip.  Or how you managed to wind up in Cleigne when I saw you only yesterday.  However, he did want me to warn you that you may be in danger.  You do have a young man with you, do you not?”

“Yeah, his name’s Prompto.  He was being held up in a tower in Malmalam Thicket,” Gladio replied.  “He wants to see the lantern festival for Noct’s birthday.”

“Apparently, the King and Oracle are very keen on Noctis and…Prompto getting along,” Clarus replied.  “But they did caution that he may be in danger.  Keep an eye out for Niflheim.”

Gladio’s eyes widened.  “You think we should worry about them within Lucis’s borders?” he asked incredulously.

“I am afraid so.  Be vigilant, my son.  Bring the prince back safely.”  There was an understood unsaid part of Clarus’s statement that also included, ‘Come home safely’ as well, but as they were both Shields to the Rulers of Lucis, he knew he couldn’t say it aloud.

“I’ll look after Noct.  Take care of Regis, old man,” Gladio replied, and Clarus grunted at Gladio’s affectionate term before hanging up.

Gladio handed the phone back to Ignis, before training his eyes on Prompto, suddenly more curious about the mysterious young man’s background.  ‘Why would Nif’s be after him?’ he wondered.

Ignis, who had been silently listening, noted Gladio’s gaze and asked, “What did your father have to say?”

“Apparently he’s worried that Nif’s may be after Prompto.  I have no idea why.  He didn’t seem to know either, but Regis and Lunafreya had apparently wanted him to pass the message along,” Gladio said thoughtfully.  “I knew I should have checked out his father’s room.”

“You were only trying to be considerate,” Ignis replied.  “Nothing to beat yourself up over.”

Gladio sighed.  “This kid has just seemed to have had a tough life.  If Niflheim’s involved, it’s about to get even worse.  Plus, with tensions already so high…” he trailed off.

“King Regis and Lady Lunafreya must have very good reasons to have orchestrated this whole event,” Ignis reasoned.  “We both know they would never put Noctis into danger unless it was necessary.  We just have to trust them for now and remain vigilant, for both of their sakes.” 

Gladio nodded in reply, before reaching down and placing a hand on Ignis’s knee and giving it a light squeeze.  “Thanks, Iggy,” he replied, and Ignis smiled in reply. 

“We should probably drag his highness back to the car, or we will never reach Lestallum,” Ignis said blandly, watching as Noctis finally reeled in a fish.  It was of a decent size, and he was proudly showing it off to Prompto who was excitedly taking a picture.

Gladio snorted in agreement, before standing up to do just that.  Ignis got the car started, while Gladio roped his arm around Noctis’s shoulder, all but dragging him back to the car as he protested.  “Just 10 more minutes!” Noctis complained, trying to crane his neck around to give Gladio his best puppy dog face.

Gladio knew to avoid it and carefully looked away.  “We want to get to Lestallum today. You’ll have other opportunities to fish on this trip,” he teased, and Noctis pouted.  Prompto looked entertained by the interchange, and he quickly snapped a picture.

“Hey!” Noctis said, grabbing for his phone which Prompto held out of reach. 

Prompto was studying the picture with a smile.  “I like this one,” he said proudly, and Noctis faltered.  While he didn’t want any weird pictures of himself, he also wanted to support and please his new friend.

“Let me at least see it,” he said, holding out his hand, and Prompto handed the phone back to him.  Noctis studied the picture for a moment before sighing.  “I guess we can keep it,” he muttered, and Prompto replied by happily throwing his arm around Noctis in a half-hug, mimicking Gladio’s arm grab from a few minutes ago.

Gladio looked amused as he waited for Prompto to climb in the seat behind him, while Noctis flushed bright red.  They soon parted, with Noctis climbing in first and scooting over behind Ignis, and Prompto following suit.  Gladio pushed the chair back before climbing in as well.  “Is everybody ready?” Ignis asked, and they all nodded in response.  Ignis then started the Star of Lucis and they headed off back on track to Lestallum.


	6. The Dragoon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> News spreads about the Prince of Lucis's road trip and it attracts unwanted attention from Niflheim.

In Niflheim, the Emperor and Chancellor Ardyn Izunia were in a meeting discussing his visit to Lucis on the previous day.  While it would take several days to a few weeks trip by car, train, or boat, the Empire had built airships which moved much more quickly and allowed them to travel throughout Eos in only hours.  Ardyn had seemed to take a bit longer than usual on his way back, but Emperor Aldercapt knew the chancellor often stopped during his trips to take care of other business and never questioned it as long as he made his meetings on time.  Their meeting, however, was interrupted by a knock on the door.  “What is it?” the Emperor grumpily called; he hated to be interrupted and to have his schedule thrown off.

One of his staff opened the door and brought a tablet over for him to look at.  “I hate to interrupt Your Radiance, but there is news circulating throughout Lucis that I thought you would want to see.”  Iodelas took the tablet curiously, scrolling through the article which talked about the Prince of Lucis being caught in a diner in Cleigne and the fact he seemed to be on a road trip.  His eyes stopped, however, when he spotted a blurry picture that had been taken by one of the patrons in the diner.  Prince Noctis was the focus of the picture, so he could barely make out the blond figure sitting across from him.  Due to the angle, it was hard to distinguish the face, but the body type and hair color looked strikingly similar to the hundreds of clones that the Chief Researcher kept in his labs.  The Emperor’s fingers began to tremble due to his shock, and he had to quickly set down the tablet.  “Do we know anything about that young man in the picture?” he asked, pointing to the blond figure that reminded him so much of the clones.

“No one does, Your Radiance.  The Lucian news agencies have been scrambling to come up with any leads, but none have been able to find out anything,” his aide replied.

Ardyn glanced over at the tablet curiously, his expression freezing upon spotting the picture.  He stared for several moments, and if one had been paying close attention they would have seen his eyes turn black with ooze for a moment.  He quickly caught himself, however, and soon returned his face to its normal carefree appearance.  ‘It must be a coincidence.  There’s no way that idiotic boy would ever leave the tower.  And it’s cloaked in enough magic that the insufferable king and obnoxious oracle should have been unable to uncover it,’ he reasoned.  It still made him antsy to return and check on his ward.

“Chancellor, I am afraid our meeting will have to be adjourned.  I will be calling upon an emergency council meeting for us to discuss these turn of events.  Meet me in the council room in half an hour,” the Emperor said tersely, before turning to the aide.  “I need you to gather the rest of the council.  Not a single one of them had better be late,” he warned, and the aide nodded before bowing and leaving the room.

“Of course, Your Radiance,” Ardyn replied smoothly, bowing his head as Iodelas rushed from the small meeting room they were using for their discussion.  Once he was alone, his façade dropped and an irritated scowl spread across his face.  He really wanted to check on the tower, but knew he’d have to wait until this bothersome meeting was over with.

During the meeting, it was decided that they would send one of their stealth dropships to Lucis and search along the roadways the prince and his retinue should be taking for their journey; it had been announced they were on their way to Lestallum.  They would get evidence that the missing Prince of Niflheim was really with the Prince of Lucis and make their decision from there.  They knew they had to be cautious to avoid an all-out war, which is why they wanted to do reconnaissance initially and sent Commodore Aranea Highwind who was one of their best in that field.  She was stealthy and quick-witted, so they trusted she could get the job done.  Once the meeting was over, Ardyn made an excuse about needing to tend to a business venture and took off to Lucis as well, making a beeline for the tower.

In Lucis, meanwhile, the four young men were on the road in a pretty empty stretch between the fishing stop and Lestallum.  The trees were slowly growing sparser, and they could see that the terrain was a little rockier the closer they got to the city.  Lestallum included the Exineris Energy plant which turned meteorshards into energy for the city and outlying areas; they relied heavily on the meteorite rich rock in the area left over from an ancient meteorite which had deposited it a long time ago.  The plant and the city were also run by women – Lestallum had been founded by a woman along with the power plant and they still ran the city to this day. These were all some of the facts Noctis had relayed to Prompto before their impromptu fishing stop.

Noctis, meanwhile, had finally succumbed to his nap, and currently had his head resting on Prompto’s shoulder again.  The power of the Crystal of Lucis was draining on both him and his father, and often made Noctis feel lethargic.  He didn’t know how his dad handled it, since it strained him even more since he wielded the power more directly, and he had the added pressure of being the king.  While Noctis slept, Prompto sketched in his sketchpad, drawing Gladiolus, Ignis, and Noctis so he’d have something to help him remember them when he eventually returned to the tower.  While a small part of him didn’t want to lose this temporary freedom, he didn’t want to worry Ardyn and felt that maybe after proving he could handle such a trip he would be allowed to leave more often.  While he drew, Gladiolus and Ignis were quiet in the front seat.  They had both seemed tenser after the fishing trip, and they would occasionally glance back at Prompto when they thought he wasn’t looking.  Prompto had noticed, and it made him a little nervous, even though neither man looked mad at him.  Just worried.

Suddenly, the quiet car ride was interrupted by a low humming sound overhead.  Prompto looked up through the sunroof to see a rectangular shaped object floating overhead with a large, red-orange exhaust area in the back that propelled it forward.  It hovered over them for several moments, while Gladiolus cursed upon also noticing it and Ignis gripped the steering wheel tightly while glancing up at it through the windshield.  Gladiolus’s reaction woke up Noctis, who rubbed his eyes blearily and asked, “What’s going on?”

Prompto merely pointed up through the sunroof, and Noctis stared in surprise.  “Why are Imperials here?” he asked, looking over at Gladiolus and Ignis who looked less surprised and more stressed.  “Ok, what have you been keeping from me?” he accused.  The drop ship had moved in front of them by this point and had turned around to face them, blocking the road.

Ignis slowed to a stop while he and Gladiolus watched it warily.  So far there hadn’t been any movement, almost like they were waiting on something.  “Your father had Clarus warn us that we may be expecting Imperial involvement during our trip,” Ignis replied.  He didn’t have chance to explain further, since there was finally movement with the drop ship.

The bottom of the drop ship had opened, revealing a woman with silver hair pulled back into a braided ponytail with only her bangs framing her face, black leather armor trimmed with dark red, matching dark red high heeled boots, and a very impressive black and red lance that was as tall as she was.  Her presence exuded confidence as she made her way down the ramp and onto the ground, two lines of magitek troopers following behind her.  The Lucians were not really sure what the magitek troopers were – they were fully covered in Imperial armor with even their faces covered by a metallic mask, and when defeated would spark before dissolving into a pool of ooze similarly to the daemons at night.  There were rumors that they may have been human at one time, but whatever they were now was certainly far from it.

Ignis and Gladiolus cautiously got out of the car, with Noctis and Prompto scrambling to get out behind them.  Noctis’s heart was pounding; while he had been trained for combat his whole life just in case an emergency ever arose, he never had to use the skills outside of training.  He also knew that if things didn’t go well here, it could mean war for his nation, and he wanted to avoid that at all costs.  Ignis placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, squeezing slightly before letting go and using the armiger to pull out his own lance – it was smaller and lined with silver, but very elegant and well-balanced.  Gladio pulled out his favorite broadsword, while Noctis pulled out the Engine Blade that his father had gifted to him when he turned fifteen. Prompto cowered behind Gladiolus, not understanding what was going on but reading the tension.  Gladiolus summoned Prompto’s gun, but when he handed it to him he murmured, “Do not use this unless they attack first, got it?”

Prompto nodded.  “Understood,” he whispered back.  Gladiolus flexed his muscles, before standing more firmly in front of the scared young man.  He felt protective of their new friend, especially knowing that Niflheim should be looking for him.

The silver-haired woman finally spoke.  “My name is Commodore Aranea Highwind of the 86th Airborne Unit of Niflheim,” she announced with a steady voice.  “I was sent here to determine if the pictures circulating in the news were of our missing prince.”  Upon this comment, both Gladiolus’s and Ignis’s eyes widened.  Noctis shot a concerned glance at Prompto who merely looked confused.  “Upon sending picture and video evidence back to the Emperor of Niflheim, it has been determined you are indeed housing the missing prince.  We merely ask that you return him to us – we do not want to cause any trouble.”

Gladiolus snorted at that statement – the twenty magitek troopers lined up behind Aranea kind of negated that statement.  “Hey kid,” he finally asked, turning to address Prompto.  He noted Prompto’s bewildered expression and had a hunch based on what he had seen at the tower that Prompto had probably been brought up unaware of his heritage.  “Do you know what she’s talking about?” he asked, pointing his thumb back at the commodore.

Prompto looked over at Aranea who was watching them with an impassive expression.  He nervously shook his head.  “No?” he asked uncertainly.  “Wait, was she talking about me?”

“I believe she is referring to you,” Ignis replied firmly, while Noctis looked as bewildered as Prompto.  “Did your father ever tell you anything?”

Prompto shook his head again.  “Only that bad people wanted to use me,” he said softly.  His fingers were holding tightly to the gun, and Gladiolus would have felt worried if the safety hadn’t still been on.

“Prom,” Gladiolus prodded, and Prompto looked up.  “It’s ok – you didn’t know,” he said firmly.  While he was frustrated at the situation, he knew he couldn’t take it out on the young man since he had been kept in the dark his whole life.

Aranea let out a sigh of annoyance and looked irritated now.  “Look, in case I wasn’t completely clear earlier, we don’t mean you any harm,” she said crossly.  “Just hand the prince over and it will be like this never happened.”  Her hands were now on her hips as she glared at them.

Noctis quickly turned to Ignis.  “Tell me what you know,” he said, and Ignis succinctly recounted the call with Clarus earlier that day.  Noctis nodded before turning to face Prompto.  “Hey, Prom,” he said, and Prompto turned to look at him.  He looked scared and guilty, and Noctis could tell that while he didn’t understand what was going on, he still felt like it was his fault.  “Do you want to go with her?” Noctis asked, nodding his head in Aranea’s direction.

Prompto looked over, and fear immediately clouded his expression.  All the warnings Ardyn had told him over the years crowded his head, and he found it hard to breathe.  He quickly shook his head, and that was all the answer that Noctis needed.  He straightened his normally slumped posture, and he strode forward to stand in front of Ignis and Gladiolus so he could face Aranea head on.  She was taller than him and had an imposing stature, but Noctis didn’t appear to let that phase him.  He had been training for moments like this his whole life.  “I am not sure if you realize who you are speaking to,” Noctis addressed her.  “But I am the Crown Prince of Lucis and will not be addressed in such a manner.”

Aranea looked slightly impressed, and a slight smirk graced her face as she crossed her arms and watched and silently listened.  “It is Niflheim who has illegally crossed Lucian borders with a military vessel, without permission or warning, and which can definitely be viewed as an act of war.  I am not sure about my companion being the missing Prince of Niflheim, but he has sanctuary within Lucis and has been placed under my protection.  I am willing to overlook this indiscretion as long as you leave peacefully so things do not have to escalate further.”  He stared Aranea in the eye as he spoke, flashing midnight blue meeting cool green.

Aranea uncrossed her arms and bowed her head.  “Duly noted, Your Highness,” she replied, the earlier edge to her voice now gone.  She motioned the magitek soldiers back onto the ship, and they could hear her mutter under her breath, “I’m certainly not paid enough to start a war.”  She stopped at the top of the ramp before turning to face them.  “I like your guts, prince, so I’m going to leave you some advice.  More than likely the next person who shows up won’t be as understanding as I am.  Keep your guard up.”

Noctis nodded to show he understood and Aranea flashed him a grin before the ramp closed back up and the drop shift drifted back into the sky.  It soon flashed with a reflective coating that was almost like a mirror and made it much harder to see before it headed back in the direction of Niflheim.  Everyone visibly relaxed once it was out of view, and Noctis immediately slumped his posture back down.  “You did well, Noct.  I’m proud of you,” Ignis smiled fondly at his friend before patting him on the shoulder.

Prompto slumped down to the ground, still breathing unsteadily, and Gladiolus quickly turned and helped him tuck his head between his legs.  “Breathe, kid, breathe,” Gladio walked him through his panic attack as Noctis and Ignis worriedly walked over.  After a few minutes, Prompto had finally calmed down, and was looking up at the other three.

“Who’s the Prince of Niflheim?” he hesitatingly asked.  That was another piece of information that never found its way into the tower.

The other three glanced at each other before Ignis checked his watch.  “We shall explain in the car.  We don’t want to dally too long, lest we make it to Lestallum after nightfall.”

Prompto nodded, and Noctis helped him to his feet and into the car before circling around to the other side to get in behind Ignis.  Once everyone was situated in the car, Ignis carefully made their way forward again, hands still slightly shaking after their encounter as he gripped the wheel.  Gladiolus noticed and carefully placed his hand on Ignis’s leg, rubbing his thumb in a comforting way.  Ignis visibly relaxed, placing his hand on Gladio’s briefly before moving it back to the steering wheel.

Ignis then explained to Prompto about the missing Prince of Niflheim, who had been announced as the Emperor’s heir before disappearing shortly after the announcement.  Niflheim had been looking for the child ever since.  “Too be honest, based on your age you would definitely be a candidate for the prince,” Ignis explained.  “He would have been about the same age as Noct.”

Prompto nodded in response, staring out the window as he listened so he didn’t have to face the other three.  Noctis was watching him worriedly, while Ignis kept trying to steal glances in the rearview mirror to check on him.  Gladio was carefully watching his expression in the rearview mirror and could tell Prompto looked pretty shaken.  “Hey, you know it’s not your fault right?” Noctis finally asked.  “You didn’t know anything, and honestly, we can’t really be sure you are the prince.  It’s not like anyone in Lucis knew what he looked like, and he went missing as a baby.”

“But,” Prompto turned to look at him, his indigo eyes welling up in tears.  “Father told me not to leave the tower, and I finally do and almost get you all into trouble.”

Noctis shook his head, placing one hand on Prompto’s shoulder.  “I’m glad you left,” he said honestly.  “They’re glad you left too.”

“Damn strait,” Gladiolus grunted, and Ignis nodded his agreement.  “You can’t live your whole live holed up in a place like that.  Plus, what the Nifs did was underhanded.  We won’t let them take you away, promise.”

Prompto looked over at Gladiolus who had turned around to let him know how serious he was about his statement.  “Gladio is correct.  We are here to help,” Ignis agreed.

Prompto wiped his tears, surprised that they weren’t mad at him or calling him childish for crying.  Once he calmed down, he glanced shyly back at Noctis.  “So, you’re the Prince of Lucis?” he asked hesitantly, and Noctis’s shoulders stiffened.  He hadn’t meant to hide it from Prompto, but it had been nice to have someone treat him as a normal person for a change, and not as the prince.

“Yeah…” he replied quietly.

Prompto suddenly grinned widely, to Noctis’s surprise.  “So, we’re going to see the floating lights for your birthday!” Prompto said excitedly.  “That makes it even more cool!”

Noctis looked dumbfounded by his response, before a shy smile graced his face as well.  He punched Prompto lightly in the shoulder and said, “You bet.  That’s why you’re going to get the best seat in all of Insomnia, guaranteed,” he said proudly, and in the front seat Ignis smiled while Gladio chuckled.


	7. Lestallum

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The chocobros arrive in Lestallum finally~

Fortunately, the remainder of the trip to Lestallum went off without a hitch, and they’re soon able to see the vibrant city in the distance.  This time Prompto’s companions were just as astonished as he was, since it was their first time seeing the lively city in person.  While it wasn’t as expansive as Insomnia, and it didn’t have anything nearly as towering as the Citadel, it was still teeming with people, and the differences to the city they knew made it an exciting place.  The architecture of the city was much less advanced than Insomnia’s and lacked the gleaming skyscrapers and modern streets; instead, Lestallum was all stone structures, many of them quite tall but not quite at skyscraper status, with narrow streets only meant for pedestrians.  It felt full of history, which especially intrigued Ignis and Gladiolus who both loved studying that sort of thing; Ignis more for the academia and Gladiolus because it felt closer to the nature that he so loved.

There was a street that passed along the outskirts of the city with parking areas for people to leave their cars, but the heart of the city was primarily for pedestrians to check out the food stalls and street vendors hawking their wares, for the market known for its spices and exotic food, and for the large power plant at the very heart of the city which sat atop the glowing blue mine with veins of meteorshards left behind from the meteor all those years ago.  While there was ample parking along the street outside of the city, Ignis opted to pay to park in the hotel parking at The Leville; it was the nicest hotel in Lestallum and where they would be staying the night. 

He wanted more anonymity for Noctis and knew if the prince’s car was sitting out on the street it would gather the press more quickly which would be a bother for both Noctis and Prompto.  Gladiolus had been keeping him updated during the ride about the articles circulating about the prince’s trip and the mystery surrounding his blond companion; they had both agreed to try to make it as easy on Prompto as possible so they would be covering their features and only heading out once it got dark.  Noctis wasn’t making that plan easy, since he and Prompto were excited about exploring the city.  “Remind me again why we can’t check it out now?” Noctis complained as they waited in the car with Gladiolus as Ignis went in to check them into their rooms.  The king had transferred money over so they could afford the large royal suite and have even more privacy.

“It’s either wait until tonight or be dogged by the press every step you take.  Your choice,” Gladiolus replied, rolling his eyes.  “I know you’re both excited but we’re trying to make it easy on the pipsqueak.”

Noctis let out a huff of annoyance, but Gladio knew it was for show.  Once he had mentioned it being for Prompto’s benefit, the prince’s posture had changed from defiant to acquiescent; he was also worried about his new friend and wanted to ensure the visit to Lestallum ran smoothly.  Luckily, there were no press events designed for the road trip, since the Citadel had released a press release that it wanted Noctis’s opportunity to meet with his people to be as natural as possible.  ‘The PR team is sure good at spinning things as dad wants,’ Noctis mused, leaning back in his seat.  He couldn’t wait to get out of the car and stretch his legs. 

He glanced over at Prompto, who was hesitantly asking Gladiolus what a pipsqueak was and looking confused when he jokingly replied, “You.”

“Stop teasing, Prom,” Noctis said lazily.  “He’s just messing with you so don’t worry about it.”

Prompto nodded uncertainly, but his face brightened when he spotted Ignis walking back to the car.  They all immediately got out and stretched, while Ignis handed both Noctis and Gladiolus one of the spare room keys.  “You’ll need this both to get onto our floor and for the room,” Ignis explained.  “We will rest in the suite until nightfall.  It’s not too long off so you will not have to wait long.”

Prompto was practically bouncing on his heels.  “We’re really going to get to explore?” he asked hopefully, and Ignis grinned.

“Certainly, as long as you are both careful,” Ignis cautioned.

He led them to the elevator that included the suites in the higher floors and used the keycard in order to gain access.  The Lestallum Leville was not as nice as the one in Altissia, but the suite was still very nice all the same.  The suite had blue, washed out walls, white columns, white doors that led to the balcony overlooking the city, a central living room space, a small kitchenette, and a separate area that contained two queen sized beds.  The furniture in the living room was black leather and looked very comfortable, while the beds had cream and white striped comforters and looked plush. 

Prompto tried to make a beeline for the balcony to take in the view but was stopped by Ignis who cautioned again to wait until evening.  So, he instead made due with tossing himself onto a bed far more comfortable than the one he had back in the tower, while Noctis casually made his way over next to him, immediately curling up for a nap.  Ignis and Gladiolus, of course, claimed the other bed.  Gladiolus stepped into the living room area to make a call, while Ignis started to unpack their things for the night.

Prompto glanced over at the sleeping prince, surprised that he was able to pass out so early, especially after napping in the car.  He soon, however, redirected his gaze at the prince’s retainer.  It only took a few moments for Ignis to notice the stare, and he looked over and met Prompto’s eyes squarely.  “Is anything wrong, Prompto?” Ignis asked, pausing in his task and providing the blond with his full attention.

Prompto blinked, bashfully looking away for a moment.  “I just…I feel like I’m being a real burden,” he answered truthfully, before sitting up carefully so as to not disturb Noctis.  “You have all never been here before and can’t go out and explore because of me, right?”

“We’ve only been afforded the opportunity to visit Lestallum because of you,” Ignis pointed out, setting down one of Noctis’s shirts he had been pulling out for the prince to wear the next day, and sitting gingerly on the bed facing Prompto.  “If you recall, Noctis has not been able to travel much due to his station.  This is a rare opportunity for him and us since we’re often not far from his side.”

Prompto began fiddling with his wristband, and he still looked anxious.  To both Ignis and Prompto’s surprise, Noctis suddenly sat up and turned to face Prompto himself.  He had apparently not fallen asleep yet and had heard the conversation.  “Prompto,” Noctis said, and Prompto blinked at him in surprise.  “Ignis is right.  The only reason why we’re going on this trip is because of you.  I’m not really sure what my dad’s trying to do, but I would definitely not be here if I hadn’t stumbled upon your tower and you hadn’t agreed to come with us.  The paparazzi thing is something I have to deal with anyway, so it’s not really your fault.  The Nif stuff either.”  Noctis stared Prompto in the eyes earnestly, and Prompto found himself unable to look away from his sincere expression.

Ignis noted how Prompto had stopped fiddling with his wristband after Noctis’s words and seemed to finally be relaxing.  He quietly slipped out of the room to give the young men time to talk and to check on Gladiolus whom he suspected had called his father.  “What did Clarus have to say?” Ignis asked.

“Neither he nor the king are particularly happy about that little stunt with the Nifs earlier,” Gladiolus replied before sprawling out on the couch.  Ignis walked over and sat on the edge of the couch next to him, gently taking the taller man’s hand as they talked.  Gladiolus pulled Ignis’s hand over his chest, interlacing their fingers over his heart.  “The king didn’t sound surprised and says he’s got the Glaive stationed in Lestallum on high alert.  They’ll be keeping an eye out while we’re here.”

“What did they have to say about the revelation about Prompto?” Ignis asked.

Gladiolus shook his head.  “Again, the king didn’t seem surprised.  Dad sure as hell was though,” he replied with a sigh.  “Regis was pretty proud of the way Noctis handled it though,” he added, with a fond grin on his face.

Ignis was also pleased by how Noctis had handled himself.  “It is sometimes easy to forget when he can be so lazy, but he’s really grown into a fine young man,” he agreed.  Gladiolus glanced at his phone to check the time before squeezing Ignis’s hand one more time and letting it go before sitting up. 

“Don’t want to keep the kids waiting too long,” he commented, and through the slats on the balcony doors they could tell it was finally dusk outside.

Ignis had everyone change into less conspicuous clothes before they headed outside – black was the color of Lucian royalty, so it would be pretty easy to spot them in their normal clothes.  Noctis pulled on the same white shirt he had been wearing the first time he had met Prompto, but had a black, silk jacket over it with a blue, stitched design for a behemoth on it and blue jeans.  He also had on sunglasses and his black cap to conceal his face.  Gladiolus switched to khakis, brown boots, a black tank top, and a black leather jacket and was also wearing sunglasses.  Ignis wore dark dress pants, a white, striped button up shirt, and suspenders, and he had rooted through the armiger again for some of Noctis’s old clothes for Prompto.  He found boots, gray cargo pants, a red tank top, and a black leather vest to go over it for Prompto, along with a matching hat and sunglasses for him to wear.  By this point, Prompto had gotten a lot better at lacing up the boots and was quickly getting the hang of the much different clothes as well.

They then headed out to the Lestallum night life, which was crawling with people, many of them tourists wanting to explore the sweltering city.  It was definitely hotter than what Prompto was used to, and although Insomnia was surrounded by a desert, the city itself was on the water and generally had a nice breeze to cool it off, which meant it was hot for the other three as well.  There were also a lot of the female power plant workers who were off from day shift wandering around and enjoying the nightlife.  They passed live bands playing in the streets and made their way over to the main street to try some of the food which mainly contained specialties from Galahd.  None of them had tried that kind of food before and enjoyed the various meat skewers and accompanying bread available to them.  “In the morning we shall have to check out the market to stock up on supplies,” Ignis commented as they walked around, Prompto excitedly snapping pictures on Noctis’s phone while the prince watched in amusement.

“We all know you just want to try out some new spices, Iggy,” Gladio grinned, his arm around Ignis’s shoulder as they wandered. 

“If I pick up a few spices along the way, then it is just an added bonus,” Ignis huffed, leaning into Gladiolus’s embrace.

Prompto caught a picture of them and smiled before looking at it.  “They both seem close,” he commented to Noctis; they were walking a bit ahead of Ignis and Gladiolus who were content to hang back and keep an eye on them that way.  Noctis had also spotted several Kingsglaive that were obviously patrolling the city and keeping an eye on them, and he figured Gladio had talked to Clarus earlier. 

“Ah, that’s because they’re dating,” Noctis shrugged.

“Dating?” Prompto asked, and Noctis glanced at Prompto.  Upon noticing his curious expression, Noctis found himself turn red and suddenly grow tongue-tied.

“Yeah…you know…” Noctis said, clearing his throat and running a hand nervously through his hair.  “When two people like each other and all that.  They…date.”

Prompto nodded his head like he understood, but Noctis sighed since he knew there was no way he could with his vague response.  “Basically,” he tried again.  “When people have feelings for each other, they do things like hold hands and…other stuff.  Stuff that you wouldn’t do with just a friend,” Noctis explained.  “Maybe I’ll let Ignis explain it to you later – he’d be better at it than me.”

“How do you know that you like someone?” Prompto asked curiously, gaze focused on Noctis.

“Well, you usually think they look really attractive,” Noctis said, carefully trying not to look at Prompto’s face as he talked.  He had found himself staring at their new companion in the car through lidded eyes when the others thought he was asleep, for he found him fascinating with his golden hair, shining indigo eyes, and the splatter of freckles covering his face and arms.  Noctis had used those moments to take in the expressive way Prompto talked to Ignis and Gladio or the quiet focus he had when sketching or writing, without his two retainers catching on and teasing him for it. 

“You also usually feel nervous around them and your heart might beat faster when they’re around or you may feel your chest tighten around them,” Noctis continued.  He definitely felt some of that right now, with his heart pounding as they talked, but he figured it was just embarrassment from their topic.

Prompto considered his words thoughtfully, while bringing his hand to his chest.  “So, liking someone is a good thing?” he asked.

“Yeah, as long as they like you back,” Noctis shrugged.  “Then you can date.”

Prompto nodded thoughtfully, before smiling shyly.  “Thanks, Noct,” he said, and Noctis found his heart definitely skipped a beat when Prompto used his nickname.  He suddenly found he really liked it, a lot, and he was glad it was night out so Prompto wouldn’t notice his flushed face.

“No problem.  Hey, why don’t we check out the food at that stall?” he asked, pointing to a promising one that had some sort of meat stew in a bread bowl.  Prompto nodded excitedly and they both quickly rushed over to check it out.

While they explored Lestallum, Ardyn had reached the tower after parking his airship at a distance as usual.  “Prompto, my dear boy, I am home!” he called out as he approached, pausing for a moment to listen carefully for any sound of the young man.  He normally would just warp up without a word, but after seeing that picture he felt a bit anxious.  He didn’t hear any sound coming from the tower, but figured the blond was just asleep.  He warped up to the window and stepped down into the room, eyes immediately making their way to the bed which was surprisingly empty.  He noted that the silly chocobo plush he had gotten the boy for his birthday as a child was missing, and that there were books scattered across the floor.  Prompto was usually good at cleaning up after himself since Ardyn always nagged about keeping the tower free of clutter, so the fact they had been left out was alarming.

Ardyn quickly made his way through the upper room, noting that Prompto was also not in the kitchen, before heading downstairs and checking the bathroom, training room, and cellar.  He even checked his own room, although he knew that was a waste of time since Prompto knew not to go in there.  The tower was empty.  Ardyn clenched his fists before heading back upstairs to look for clues.  He immediately picked up the books off the floor, flipping through them and narrowing his eyes when he noticed that Prompto had marked certain pages in them.  ‘I was not aware I had missed anything,’ he thought, immediately noticing the mentions of Lestallum and Insomnia.  He had been very thorough when bringing books back to the tower; Prompto was incredibly curious so he knew it was better to teach the boy while controlling what information he had access to, than leaving him completely to his own devices.  Which meant for him to have been seeking out these details, he had to have encountered someone to spark the interest in him.

Ardyn spotted one of Prompto’s many sketchbooks also lying on the floor and picked it up, looking around for the young man’s most recent journal and noting that it also seemed to be missing.  He frowned before flipping through the sketchbook, stopping suddenly at one of the pages that Prompto had been doodling on.  Ardyn gripped the sketchbook furiously, crumpling its pages before ripping the offending page out and staring at it in disdain.  His face had paled with the daemonic ichor returning to his expression, and he clenched his teeth, inwardly seething.  He would recognize that ridiculous, jet-black hairstyle anywhere.  Ardyn crumpled up the sketch in anger, before throwing it into his armiger to inspect again later when his anger had cooled.  ‘How did those insufferable Astrals find him,’ Ardyn thought as he warped to the ground and hurried back to his airship.  It was time to make an emergency trip to Lestallum.


	8. Defiance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompto encounters Ardyn in Lestallum.

After the best night of Prompto’s life exploring the city with his new friends, he was awoken early the next morning by the prince who was wide awake for a change.  Noctis covered Prompto’s mouth as he awoke, holding a finger to his mouth to indicate they both remain silent.  Prompto didn’t quite understand what that meant, but he was able to infer that Noctis wanted him to remain quiet.  He nodded slightly to show he understood, and Noctis removed his hand before motioning over toward the door.  Ignis and Gladiolus were passed out in the adjoining bed, exhausted after the events so far during the road trip.  Noctis knew based on how tired they had been the night before, as long as he was careful he’d be able to sneak out without waking them up.  Prompto quietly followed Noctis out into the living room; both had passed out in the clothes they had worn the night before, too tired to change after exploring the city for hours.  Their hair was also a mess, but Noctis didn’t particularly care that early in the morning, especially when he was about to cover himself up with a hat again.

“What are we doing?” Prompto asked in confusion, keeping his voice low.

“We’re going to sneak out and explore again,” Noctis said, his eyes shining mischievously.

Prompto looked scandalized at the idea.  “But Ignis…” he started to say, and Noctis rolled his eyes.

“This early in the morning there will be hardly anyone up,” he said. “Don’t you want to take some pictures in the early morning light?”  He gave Prompto a knowing gaze, before waving his phone in front of his new friend enticingly.

Prompto bit his lip, looking back toward the door.  He was still new to the idea of breaking the rules, and it made him feel uncomfortable.  However, the idea of spending his morning with Noctis, alone, was pretty tantalizing.  He liked Ignis and Gladiolus a lot, now that he had started to acclimate to them, but he still felt happiest when around Noctis.  The thought of taking pictures in the exotic city was just an added bonus.  “I guess it’ll be alright,” Prompto hesitatingly replied, and Noctis threw his arm around Prompto excitedly.

“You won’t regret this,” he grinned, before they quietly made their way out the door.  Noctis pulled hats and sunglasses for both of them out of the armiger, and they made their way downstairs after Noctis double checked that he had the room key.  He definitely wanted to mitigate their chances of getting caught and having to endure a lecture by Ignis. 

They both head to the direction of the market, which they hadn’t explored the night before since Ignis had insisted they wait until right before they left.  Prompto had Noctis’s phone in hand and was happily taking pictures of every little detail that caught his eye.  Noctis was impressed by how quickly Prompto had taken to photography, and he had to admit that his new friend already took much better pictures than he did.  Prompto had played around with all of the settings for the camera app in the car and was already picking up on how to use lighting and contrast to his advantage.  Prompto suddenly snapped a shot of Noctis, startling him out of his thoughts.

Noctis watched patiently as Prompto regarded the photo critically, finding his scrunched face and narrowed gaze as he studied the photo endearing.  “Do I look ugly or something?” Noctis joked, and Prompto shook his head.

“I can’t seem to capture how attractive you look, actually,” he said with a sigh, before shoving the picture in Noctis’s face.  “It never looks quite right to me.”

Noctis blinked in surprise, especially since to him the photograph looked amazing.  In all of Noctis’s official photos, he always looked stiff and uncomfortable, and Prompto had somehow managed to capture a happy, relaxed expression on his face that he rarely ever had a chance to see.  “I think this may be the best picture anyone’s taken of me, to be honest,” Noctis replied, before handing the phone back to Prompto.

“But, you look so much better in person,” Prompto sighed, and Noctis blushed at his honest remark. 

Noctis shyly looked away, and mumbled, “You’re just exaggerating.”  They had finally reached the marketplace which was already bustling with people trying to take advantage of the early morning deals and fresh produce.  ‘This may be why Ignis wanted to wait until morning,’ Noctis realized as they looked around at the covered stalls crammed into the small courtyard space in the city.  Each stall was covered with a tarp in order to protect the sellers and their wares from the soon to be blazing sun, and they were all piled with spices, produce, and trinkets for people to buy.  Prompto continued to snap pictures and chat with Noctis, who listened with an occasional reply as he tried to find something that looked appetizing for breakfast.

Right when he finally spotted a food stall, he suddenly realized that he didn’t hear Prompto anymore.  “Prom?” Noctis asked, before swiveling his head and glancing around the marketplace.  When he realized he didn’t see any sign of his friend’s golden blond hair or sunny smile, he began to panic.  Before he could begin searching, however, he was stopped by a man who was obviously a member of the Kingsglaive.

“And what are you doing out here without your retainers?” the Glaive asked, blocking Noctis’s path.  The man was taller than Noctis and his dark gray hair was shaved at the sides but came down longer at the back.  He wasn’t quite as large as Gladiolus, but still had a solid build and piercing, confident blue eyes.  His traditional, black Kingsglaive uniform included an animal pelt and a long, purple ribbon that came down the back like a cloak which was unusual; Noctis figured that the man must have done some heroic feats in order to be allowed to modify his uniform. 

Noctis then noticed the small tattoos on the man’s face – a mark like a crow’s foot on his right check and a line and dot under his left eye.  This was Nyx Ulric, a well-known Glaive from Galahd who hadn’t been in the service for very long but already was known for his bravery in battle.  King Regis spoke highly of him, which was all Noctis needed to understand the man’s nature.  Nyx was currently stationed in Lestallum since there were a lot of refugees from Galahd staying there; hence, why the food was served at so many of the stalls. 

Noctis looked Nyx steadily in the eye.  “My friend and I decided to grab some breakfast,” he replied coolly.  He knew he had to appear confident himself, or else Nyx would drag him back to The Leville.  “I seemed to have lost Prompto though,” Noctis added, casting a worried gaze across the marketplace again.

“That blond kid, right?” Nyx replied.  “I saw him dart off toward that side street over there a minute ago.”

Before Noctis could rush off, Nyx placed an arm in front of him to stop him.  He summoned his twin daggers before saying, “I’ll lead the way and you’ll follow, your highness.  Your friend looked pretty spooked when he darted off, so I’ve got a bad feeling.”

Noctis clenched his jaw, but he nodded in reply.  While he wanted to rush to check on his friend, he knew that the Kingsglaive had orders from his father to keep him safe in Lestallum and it wasn’t worth it to fight the much more experienced man.  Finding Prompto took priority.

While they went searching for the missing young man, Prompto found himself face to face with the last person he had expected to see in Lestallum.  He had spotted Ardyn smirking at him across from the market, and he had felt his heart drop upon seeing his father.  His father had nodded his head toward the nearby alleyway before disappearing, and Prompto had rushed over to meet with him.  He had seen the steely glint in Ardyn’s amber eyes and knew that the man was furious.  He didn’t want to mix up Noctis in his family business, and he felt apologetic as he scampered away.  Hopefully this wouldn’t take too long and his friend wouldn’t notice that he had stepped off.  “If it isn’t the wayward child who ran away from home,” Ardyn greeted him, his voice dripping with derision.

“I’m not running away,” Prompto tried to explain, his voice gaining a slightly higher pitch with his nervousness.  “I just wanted to see the floating lights.  Once I’ve done that I’m coming home…”  Inwardly, Prompto wondered how Ardyn had found out, since he wasn’t supposed to be home for a few weeks.

“Oh, I think not,” Ardyn replied, placing a hand on Prompto’s shoulder and squeezing painfully.  “We will be going home, poppet, and you will refrain from speaking of those silly lanterns any further.”  Ardyn’s voice sounded pleasant, but Prompto immediately picked up the dangerous undertone which meant his father did not expect any arguing on the matter.

“I can’t just leave without talking to my new friends,” Prompto argued desperately, and Ardyn rolled his eyes.

“Yes, yes, the bratty prince and his babysitters,” he replied flippantly.  “You think the boy wants to be friends with you?  He’s a prince.  You are merely a distraction that he will drop when the next exciting thing comes along.  I warned you not to trust anyone, didn’t I?  Now, let’s go.”  Ardyn attempted to push Prompto forward, but he stubbornly dug his heels in and pulled away.

“No,” Prompto replied, and he seemed as surprised as Ardyn was by his response.

“No?” Ardyn asked icily, barely masking his daemonic face.  Prompto noticed his skin pale and black lines run along his face as his daemonic tinged blood activated, but Ardyn clenched his jaw and held it back.  “Oh, so now you think you know everything, do you?”

“That’s not what I meant,” Prompto tried to protest, but Ardyn ignored him with a sneer.

“Prompto’s so grown up now, isn’t he?” Ardyn taunted.  “He knows what’s best, doesn’t he?”  Ardyn leaned in closer to Prompto and lowered his voice.  “You’ll soon learn that people only live to stab you in the back – especially the Lucians.  Then you will regret spurning my help.”

Prompto found himself shaking slightly at the vindictive tone Ardyn was using on him, shying away when Ardyn shot him a spiteful grin.  “We shall see how you feel later when you will have wished you never left your tower,” he replied smoothly, walking away with a laugh and a wave as Prompto began to hear Noctis calling his name from a distance.  Prompto slumped against the wall, holding back tears as he watched Ardyn disappear.  He barely registered it when one of the Glaives pushed past him, looking down the alley for the mysterious man he had spotted walking away from Prompto who was shaking and looked like he had seen a ghost.

Noctis, who hadn’t been able to see the man past Nyx, immediately rushed to his friend’s side and put a protective arm around him.  “Prompto, what happened?” he asked.

“There was another man here a moment ago,” Nyx replied, his eyes scanning the alleyway.  “Although he disappeared before I could get a good look at him.”  He was trying to figure out how the man had disappeared, since the only thing he could think of was warping but there hadn’t been any flash of blue or use of the crystal’s power beforehand.  He then turned to look at the stricken blond.  “Did he do anything to you?” he asked, and Prompto shook his head after a moment’s hesitation.  Nyx’s eyes narrowed, but he couldn’t see any signs of physical violence on the boy.

He definitely looked upset though, while Noctis looked at a loss on how to help him.  Nyx let out a deep sigh before grunting, “Let me get you two back to the hotel.”  Noctis nodded, turning to Prompto with his arm still around his shoulders. 

“Is that ok with you, Prom?” Noctis asked, his eyes gazing at Prompto’s face searchingly.  Prompto nodded, before turning to look at Noctis directly.

“Yeah, I’d like that.  I think…I want to be inside for awhile,” he admitted.  Noctis squeezed his shoulder before allowing Nyx to lead the way.  He stayed close to Prompto with a protective arm around him as he walked, unsure of what had happened to his friend.  He wondered if some street thug had tried to bully or threaten him, and Noctis felt his blood boil at the thought. 

‘I should have kept a better eye on him,’ Noctis thought.  By the time they reached the hotel, Prompto had finally seemed to calm down, although he stiffened when he saw the menacing glare that the two of them faced upon seeing Ignis waiting for them in the lobby.  Gladiolus looked less upset at the situation, although he was slightly ticked that Noctis had snuck off without protection that morning; he knew with the Kingsglaive patrolling the town and with Noctis’s training he’d probably be fine though.

“I cannot believe after I explicitly told you,” Ignis began to say, but Nyx held up a hand to stop him.  Ignis pursed his lips but quieted, showing respect to the older man.

“I hate to interrupt, but now may not be the time for lectures,” Nyx replied, before reporting what he and Noctis had encountered when looking for Prompto.  Ignis’s expression immediately lost some of its heat, and he looked over at Prompto worriedly.

“Are you alright, Prompto?” he asked, stepping forward to quickly check for injuries.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Prompto replied, although he still sounded upset.

“I suppose I can save it for later,” Ignis amended, before turning a sharp gaze onto Noctis.  “You, however, will definitely be getting it later because I am fully aware whose foolish idea this was.”

Noctis looked down ashamedly, feeling regretful since his actions had caused his friend to become upset.  “I just wanted to spend some time with Prom,” he muttered, and Prompto gave him a weak smile.

“I appreciated it, Noct,” he replied softly, and Noctis blinked in surprise before turning to look at him.  “I had fun and got to take some great pictures,” Prompto added.  “It’s not your fault…”  He didn’t want to say more, since what had happened was his own personal problem, but he didn’t want Noctis to feel like he was to blame.

Noctis grimaced and looked away, and both Ignis and Gladiolus who knew him well immediately understood that Noctis was still blaming himself.  Ignis figured it would be good for him to take some of the responsibility, hoping it would help Noctis reflect more on his actions for a change, and ushered the two of them upstairs with Gladiolus so Prompto could relax.  Ignis, meanwhile, headed out to the market in order to stock up on the supplies they would need for the next leg of their trip.

Gladiolus pulled out a book to read while they waited, sprawling out on the couch so Noctis and Prompto could have some privacy in the bedroom.  Prompto had curled up on the bed, and Noctis was racking his brain trying to figure out a way to cheer his friend up.  He suddenly remembered that he had grabbed the chocobo plush when they had left the tower, and quickly pulled it out of his armiger.  “Hey, Prom,” he said, and Prompto’s head lifted up from where he was resting it on the bed.  “Catch!” Noctis said before tossing the chocobo at the blond.

Prompto’s eyes widened and he caught Solis with ease.  “How?” he asked, and Noctis grinned.

“I brought it with us.  Figured you may need it at some point,” he said, before sprawling on the bed next to Prompto.  He pulled out his phone and began scrolling through Prompto’s pictures from earlier, a slight smile on his face as he got to view the world the way that his friend saw it.

Prompto clutched the chocobo plush to his chest, thinking back to Ardyn’s words from earlier.  ‘Would someone who only saw me as a distraction do something so nice for me?’ Prompto thought, lying back down and scooting a little closer to Noctis.  Noctis grinned and shifted until he was closer to Prompto as well. 

Prompto quietly watched Noctis scroll through the pictures, studying the tranquil smile in his midnight blue eyes as he examined each one.  Prompto decided that Noctis had only proven to be trustworthy in the time that he had known him, and he knew that his father had to be wrong about him, Ignis, and Gladiolus.  As he quietly watched Noctis, he was reminded of their earlier conversation after he had snapped the photo of the dark-haired prince.  ‘The camera definitely doesn’t do him justice,’ Prompto thought again, for there was no way it could capture the little nuances he saw in person.  He was determined to get better at it, however, and promised himself to take even more photos of Noctis on their journey.


	9. Revelation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompto's secret is revealed.

Once Ignis returned from the market, everyone packed up and changed in order to get ready to head out.  Ignis had gotten their black outfits dry cleaned by the hotel so they would have something to change back into; they only had so much prepared for them since the trip had been spur of the moment, so Ignis had to make due with what they had. 

They were going to travel out to Alstor Slough in order to go camping, which had brightened up Prompto when Gladiolus had explained the concept to him.  He was excited for a new experience, especially when the shield seemed so enthusiastic about it.  Noctis was a bit less excited since he preferred a comfortable bed, but he definitely had perked up about the fact there was a fishing spot near the haven.  Ignis, meanwhile, had grabbed a lot of fresh ingredients from the market and seemed pleased that he would have the opportunity to cook for them.  His improved mood, however, did not stop him from giving the younger two a lecture the moment they were in the car and heading out.

Alstor Slough was in a new region of Lucis, which Prompto was both eager and a bit apprehensive about.  While he loved the fact he was getting to continue to explore, crossing regions was a big step and it was finally hitting him how far he was from home.  They would be passing into the Duscae region, which was heavily forested and tended to have a lot of rain and a little bit cooler weather when compared to Cleigne.  Alstor Slough itself contained a big lake that Prompto was definitely ready to see, since he had only ever seen the river from his tower and now from the road trip.  Gladiolus had also told him about the giant catoblepas that hung out at the lake, massive 150 foot, four legged beasts that lounged about and generally ignored everyone as long as you didn’t get too close.  Prompto definitely wanted to get a picture of them. 

He couldn’t get his encounter with Ardyn out of his head, though, and was uncharacteristically quiet after Ignis had finished his lecture and they headed down the road.  Due to his internal conflict, he also wasn’t taking pictures, writing, or drawing, which had the other three worried.  “Care to share what’s on your mind, kid?” Gladio interrupted his thoughts, causing Prompto to jump in surprise.

“Huh?” he asked.

“You’ve been biting your lip for the past half-hour,” Noctis replied, arms crossed over his chest.  “What’s going on in that head of yours?”

Ignis glanced up from the rearview mirror, showing he was paying attention as well.  Prompto flushed from embarrassment.  “Nothing much.  It’s just…kind of scary crossing into a new region,” he said.  While that wasn’t the most looming thing on his mind, he figured it would be easier to share with them than the more pressing concern.  “I’ve never been out of Cleigne, technically, that I can remember at least,” he admitted.  “So while I’m super excited it’s also kind of nerve-wracking because I’m so far from what I know.”

The other three were silent at his admission, for it reminded them again the fact that Prompto had basically been locked in a tower his whole life which unsettled them.  Ignis couldn’t figure out how the young man seemed so well adjusted with his limited life experience, since the sensory overload in the real world could definitely stress someone out in his situation.  Instead, Prompto faced everything with a cheerful curiosity and enthusiastically soaked in every new experience.  It was charming how he approached life, but it made sense that even he had some apprehension about the changes.  “If you are ever uncomfortable about anything, let us know so we can provide support,” Ignis replied.  “We are all here to make this trip as enjoyable as possible for you.”

Prompto smiled gratefully, as Noctis bumped shoulders with him in affirmation.  “Yeah, you can tell us anything.  We’re here for you,” he agreed, and Prompto shyly looked down.

“Thanks.  I really appreciate it,” he said quietly, and Noctis wrapped an arm around him for a one-armed hug while Gladio reached around to ruffle his hair.  They reached Alstor Slough around lunch time, and Prompto was excited when he was able to spot his first catoblepas in the distance.  He pointed it out immediately, and Gladiolus set down his book in order to roll down his window and crane his neck out to check it out as well.  “Ain’t she a beaut,” he said in awe, marveling at the size and how surprisingly peaceful it looked reflected in the water.  While he had studied them, this was of course his first time seeing one in person too.

“Yeah, real interesting,” Noctis replied, obviously not as interested as his two companions.  “How long until we get to fishing?” Gladio and Prompto both laughed at his reply, knowing how one-track minded the prince was about his passion.

“We shall be at the haven in about 20 minutes, Noct.  Once we set up camp you are free to fish until supper,” Ignis replied, and Noctis sighed dramatically but couldn’t keep the excited look out of his eyes.

When they were almost to the haven, however, their journey was interrupted by a now familiar low hum.  Ignis opened up the sunroof and they peered up in dismay at yet another drop ship that was circling around overhead.  Unlike the last time where it seemed to hover around them in order to scope them out, this time it appeared to be on a mission and was travelling at a faster rate.  It cut them off just like last time, setting down and landing on the road in front of them in order to block their path.  This time, however, when the ship opened its hatch, it unveiled a 33-foot mech with a giant chainsaw for one arm and a machinegun in the other.  It was equipped with missiles and was obviously aiming at the car.  It was also equipped with speakers, because they soon heard the pilot’s voice blasting from the machine.

“I am Loqi Tummult, Brigadier General of Niflheim,” he introduced himself.  “Return to us our Prince and I may actually leave you alone.”

“Shit,” Gladiolus muttered under his breath as they scrambled out of the car.  They definitely didn’t want it to get damaged by that thing.  Both he and Ignis had vaguely heard of Tummult, who was a thorn in Cor Leonis’, the head of the Crownsguard, side.  Any time Cor travelled with Regis to do negotiations with Niflheim, the cocky blonde young man would attempt to rile the cool and collected older man.  It never worked, which seemed to annoy him to no end.  “We’ll have to watch out for him – he’s unpredictable and temperamental,” Gladiolus cautioned.  “Lady from last time wasn’t kidding when she said next time we had to be careful.”

“Are we going to have to fight that thing?” Prompto asked nervously.  He had never engaged in any form of combat before and had only trained with shooting his whole life.  This was way over his head.

“We might,” Ignis said, summoning his lance again while Gladiolus and Noctis summoned their swords.  Gladio pulled out Prompto’s gun for him as well, and Prompto felt a little more relieved with its familiar weight in his hands.  While the other three had trained for combat and sparred before, this would also be the first time they would truly be facing an opponent, and they did not have a lot of experience fighting mechs.  This was going to be new for all of them, but they didn’t have much choice.

“Prom, just stay to the back if you can,” Gladio instructed.  “Only fire when you have a clear shot.  I’m sure you don’t have a lot of experience with moving targets.”

“I have some but yeah, I’ll be careful,” Prompto agreed.

Noctis, meanwhile, stepped forward slightly to address Loqi.  “As I have said before, my companion has sanctuary in Lucis.  He does not wish to return with you.  Attacking me will be the same as declaring war on Lucis.  Are you ready to face such consequences?”

Unfortunately, the tactic didn’t work with the much less patient man who already daydreamed of gaining his glory through war.  His response was to fire a missile at the prince, who immediately leapt back and was yanked back further by Ignis who shielded him from the ensuing blast.  Gladio then rushed at Loqi’s mech, brandishing his great sword in order to hack at the legs of the machine to try to knock it down; he figured that would be their best chance at defeating it.  He had to dodge a barrage of bullets from the machine gun in the process, and once he got close he also had the giant saw to deal with.  While Gladiolus faced it head on, Ignis quickly checked Noctis to ensure he was alright before they both joined him in a direct attack. 

Noctis provided a distraction since once he was in the fray again Loqi focused his attacks on him, while Ignis backed Noctis up and gracefully provided support through linked attacks and doubling as his shield since Gladiolus was focused on trying to knock the mech down.  Prompto, who had taken Gladio’s advice to heart, stayed at a distance and carefully aimed before firing each shot, also as a way to distract Loqi and more importantly to try to find a weak spot on the mech in order to take it out.  As they fought, Loqi constantly taunted them while bragging about his overwhelming power; he seemed entirely unconcerned about starting a war between the nations.

They had all carefully moved away from the Star of Lucis in order to avoid damaging Noctis’s early birthday present, and although they were overpowered, their training was actually serving them surprisingly well.  Gladio was proud of how Noctis was handling himself in the fight, and he and Ignis were both carrying themselves like men with much more experience.  Even Prompto who had never had combat training was talented with the gun and hadn’t missed a single shot yet, even with the thrashing target.  Everyone only had light injuries where a stray bullet had grazed them or from ducking and rolling to avoid an attack. 

Things seemed to be going in their favor, that is, until Loqi launched another missile.  This one landed on the ground behind Noctis and didn’t immediately ignite, and the prince soon found himself distracted from it as Loqi charged at him with the M-AX Cuirass’s chainsaw.  Noctis was immediately cut off from Ignis, who tried to come around the other side to aide his prince, and because Loqi had suddenly used the mech to leap forward at Noctis, Gladiolus had to sprint over in order to continue his attack.  Prompto also moved in a little closer so he could concentrate his fire.  This change in strategy finally turned the tide in Loqi’s favor when the missile next to Noctis finally ignited, throwing the prince back by the blast and causing him immediate pain as it seared a burn onto his arm and left a few pieces of shrapnel along the side of his body facing the missile. 

Noctis immediately crumpled on the ground, trying to hold onto his arm and quickly pulling away when he realized that hurt even worse due to the severity of the burn.  He kneeled down on the ground, hunched over and teeth clenched from the agonizing pain.  “Noctis!” Ignis cried out, voice also pained as he pushed past Loqi’s mech to check his wounds and apply first aide.  Ignis immediately reached into the armiger for a first aide kit so he could dress the wounds as best as possible. 

Gladiolus rushed in front of them in defense, and Prompto moved forward to join him in order to help.  “I thought I told you to stay back,” Gladio grunted, and Prompto shook his head.

“I want to protect Noct too,” he said resolutely.  Now that he was closer, when he fired his bullets did more damage, and he was able to study the build of the machine more closely.  Although Prompto did not have a lot of technology at the tower, he had read a lot of tech books and had always been fascinated by machinery and how the pieces fit together.  He now began to see a few promising areas to focus on in order to incapacitate the machine, and he figured at this distance he’d have a better chance at catching an opening and really doing damage.

Loqi was moving his mech more wildly, growing even more cocky now that he hurt the Prince of Lucis.  “Lucians aren’t even a threat – we should have done this much sooner,” he bragged while firing a rain of bullets at Prompto and Gladio.  Prompto winced as he dodged, causing one to graze his cheek when he wasn’t fast enough.  “Look how fast the prince crumpled!”

Gladio, while pissed, kept a cool head, knowing that Noctis’s safety was first priority now.  He steadily kept Loqi at bay while Prompto continued to work at the weak spots on the mech.  He finally incapacitated the machine gun, which was a welcome respite, and caused Loqi to launch a stream of curses at them in retaliation.  “I can still handle you,” he boasted, launching more missiles while leaping at Gladio with the chainsaw.  Gladio held it off with his broadsword, while Prompto fired at the missiles and detonated them before they could harm someone again.  While Gladio kept Loqi occupied, Prompto finally saw another opening at a vulnerable area toward the back of the mech.  He fired at it, taking out the main power source for the machine and allowing Gladio to finally take out one of the legs when he leapt forward and swung down in order to use more force. 

The MA-X Cuirass immediately powered down and crumpled to the ground, and a few minutes later the hatch opened up and a very irate blond with well-manicured hair that had bangs sweeping across his face leveled a seething gaze at them as he climbed out.  He was wearing very ornate black and gold armor and had a red and gold banner over his right shoulder with his family’s crest emblazoned on it.  “This isn’t the last you’ll see of Niflheim, Lucians,” he spat before climbing down from the mech and hurrying to the drop ship in order to escape. 

Gladio ignored him, focused more on his prince instead, while Prompto immediately rushed to Noctis’s side. His eyes widened upon seeing Noctis’s severe burn; the prince’s head was resting in Ignis’s lap as he tried his best to treat the wounds with their limited supplies; honestly though, there wasn’t much one could do with such a terrible burn outside of a hospital anyway.  Noctis’s eyes looked glassy from the pain, and he was close to passing out.  “I am not sure what we are going to do,” Ignis said, worry flooding his voice.  “We are far from any form of help and my supply of curatives is not enough to take care of something of this magnitude.”  His hands were trembling slightly as he dressed the wounds, attempting to remove shrapnel and apply pressure with bandages to stop the bleeding.  He would have to attempt to do something about the burn once they reached the haven, but he was unsure about moving Noctis in his condition.

Gladiolus reached down and placed a hand on Noctis’s head, frowning when he realized that the prince was already sporting a fever.  “This isn’t good,” he muttered to himself, hands clenched as he helplessly stood next to them.

Prompto, meanwhile, watched in silence with concern clearly spread across his face.  He worried at his lip again, before placing a gentle hand on Ignis’s shoulder.  “I can help Noct,” he said, and Ignis gave him a bewildered look.

“How?” he asked, nerves frayed.  “There is nothing you can possibly do.”

Prompto shook his head.  “Help me remove all the pieces from his skin,” he ordered.  Gladiolus and Ignis both shared a glance, hesitating for a moment.  They didn’t really know what was going on, but trusted Prompto and knew that both Regis and Lunafreya had placed their faith in him.  Ignis silently began to help Prompto remove shrapnel from the prince’s body, while Gladiolus kept an eye on their surroundings.  Loqi’s drop ship had already left, and the area around them was now pretty quiet.  There were still beasts they would have to worry about, but they generally stayed away from the road so they would hopefully be alright while Prompto did whatever he believed would help the prince.

Once they had ensured all of the pieces were removed from Noctis, Prompto placed a hand on Noctis’s shoulder and closed his eyes before taking a deep breath and releasing it.  After a few moments, a glowing light began to appear around his hand, and Gladiolus and Ignis watched in amazement as it traveled through his hand and into Noctis’s body, flashing brightly where his wounds were located and eventually dimming as the wounds began to heal and close.  Even the terrible burn was fading, and as Noctis’s pain began to ease away his glassy expression slowly grew more alert until he was able to watch in awe as the magic healed the last of his wounds and faded away as Prompto pulled his hand back.  Prompto looked a bit tired from the effort, and once he finished he hunched into himself, eyes cast to the ground as anxiety began to bubble up within him.  He had finally revealed his secret.

“What the hell was that?” Gladiolus asked in astonishment, while Ignis shushed him.

“You’re going to scare the poor boy,” he lightly admonished, before reaching out to place a reassuring hand on Prompto’s shoulder.

Prompto glanced up in surprise, worry clearly evident in his gaze.  “Prompto, thank you,” Ignis said fervently, squeezing his shoulder lightly.  “Thank you for saving Noctis.”

Noctis immediately pushed past Ignis, and he threw his arms around the startled blond.  “Prompto, you’re so amazing,” he said, holding his friend tightly.  Prompto grew limp, not comprehending their reaction after years of worry about his abilities.  “Thank you – you really saved me,” Noctis added, his voice full of affection.

He pulled back when Prompto confusingly replied, “But, it’s because of me that you got hurt in the first place.”

“No, it’s because of the Nifs,” Noctis assured him, keeping his hands on Prompto’s shoulders and forcing him to keep his gaze.  “This is the thing your dad was hiding you away in the tower for, isn’t it?  You could have easily kept this to yourself and we wouldn’t have had a clue, but instead you trusted us enough to use it to heal me.  You saved me, Prom, and you put your trust in us in the process.  We won’t betray that trust,” he said confidently, and Prompto suddenly felt some of his burden lift away.  He trusted these three and felt that if it was them knowing his secret, he would be ok.

“I want to know everything now, Prom,” Noctis said excitedly, and Gladiolus shook his head.

“It can wait until we’re safely at the haven, Noct,” he warned.  “We need to see to our minor wounds and make sure you’re fully healed.  Plus, I’m sure he needs time to prepare too – this is a big secret he’s letting us in on.”  Gladio then turned to Prompto.  “If there’s anything you feel uncomfortable telling us, just let us know.  He may be excitable right now, but we won’t pressure you.”

Prompto shook his head, still trying to process everything.  “I trust you guys,” he admitted, and the other three smiled in relief.  “Let us return to the car,” Ignis replied, and they quickly climbed in before finally reaching the haven.  The Alstor Slough haven was located on a large boulder that stuck up out of the grassy plains surrounding the lake, and it gave them the perfect view of the water.  The boulder was covered in glowing blue runes that kept daemons at bay at night and beasts away during the day.  There was also a magical fire that constantly burned with blue flame, although Gladiolus could add wood to it in order to turn it into a stronger, normal fire.  Gladiolus quickly got to work setting up camp, while Ignis tended to the cut on Prompto’s face and checked all of them in order to take care of any other minor wounds they had.  They had all noticed the drain in Prompto’s energy after healing Noctis and didn’t want to exhaust him more than they had already.

Once Gladiolus was done, they all sat in the camping chairs he had placed around the fire in order to allow Prompto to finally tell his story.  “So, as far as I can tell, I was born with this ability,” Prompto started.  “Even as a kid I was able to heal things.  One of my earliest memories was healing a small bird that had fallen out of its nest in my windowsill and hurt its wing.”  The others listened with rapt attention as Prompto spoke.  “My father always told me that my power was precious, and I couldn’t let it fall into the wrong hands because a lot of people would abuse me in order to use it,” he continued.  “So, I stayed in the tower in order to protect it.”

Gladiolus tightened his fists and looked away, while Ignis held a stern gaze behind his glasses.  Noctis, meanwhile, provided Prompto with a look of empathy.  While they could definitely understand how useful Prompto’s ability was and didn’t doubt that people like those from Niflheim would try to abuse it, they could not constitute Prompto’s freedom being hindered as a result.  Prompto being stuck in that tower his whole life wasn’t actually living.  “I am starting to see now why the Nifs are so desperate to take you away,” Gladio replied solemnly.  “They must know somehow.”

Prompto nodded and looked down.  “Father always said there were people out there looking for me,” he admitted.

“We won’t let them get you,” Noctis replied hotly, and both Gladio and Ignis nodded in agreement.  “You’ll be safe with us – I promise.”  Prompto met Noctis’s gaze with a grateful expression, and Noctis smiled in reply.

“You probably are not aware, due to the limited information you were provided with growing up, but your ability is very precious,” Ignis replied.  “The Oracle can heal starscourge, but you are the only one I know of with the ability to heal wounds.  We will make sure to protect this knowledge for your sake.”

Prompto nodded, nervously playing at his wristband.  Although he was more relaxed than when he had initially revealed his powers, he still looked a bit worried and unsure.  The other three exchanged glances before Gladio cleared his throat.  “Well, I think we all deserve a break after that fiasco, what do you think?” he asked.

“Indeed,” Ignis agreed.  “I shall start on supper while you three can go galivant by the lake.”

“Finally, fishing!” Noctis cheered, while Gladio rolled his eyes.

“I’ve never met someone so obsessed with one thing,” he muttered, while Ignis snorted.

“Then you must have forgotten your own fascination with cup noodle,” he quipped, before shooing them away so he could cook.  While Ignis began his preparations, the other three headed toward the lake to check it out and relax for the rest of the afternoon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had done a request on Tumblr from Jean the Bean to do a Promptis picture of the lantern scene and it looks amazing ;_; Check it out https://jean-the-bean.tumblr.com/post/173189519559/for-requests-because-im-writing-an-au-and


	10. Camp

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompto goes camping for the first time~

While the others left to go fishing, Ignis used the time to call the King in order to update him on the latest Niflheim attack.  This time when he called, he was relieved to get Regis on the phone, who was glad to hear that they were doing well.  He began asking Ignis eagerly about Noctis and Prompto and how they were doing, and Ignis managed to patiently answer that they were doing fine before cutting him off in order to relay the news about what had happened.  Regis listened in silence, although Ignis heard a sharp inhale of breath when he got to the part about Noctis getting injured.  When he finished up about Prompto healing Noctis, however, Regis appeared to have held his breath and let it out with a deep sigh of relief.

“So, my son is alright?” Regis asked in concern.

“Presently fishing as we speak,” Ignis confirmed, and the king lightly chuckled.

“Niflheim attacking my son so flagrantly and within Lucis’s borders is not something I can ignore,” Regis replied after a moment and a heavy sigh.  “I do not wish to lead my country to war…but if Prompto hadn’t been there…” Regis trailed off.

“Were…you aware of Prompto’s ability, your majesty?” Ignis asked.  Usually in person he dropped formalities with Regis when they were alone, but due to the topic they were discussing he felt like keeping things formal.

“I was hopeful for his ability,” Regis replied.  “I will explain more once you are safely in Insomnia again.  While I wished for Noctis to have time to bond with Prompto on the trip back, I’m afraid you may have to travel more expediently if Niflheim is going to act so boldly and aggressively.  I will also be sending the Marshal to escort you once you reach Galdin Quay.”

“I understand.  I still would like us to rest here tonight while Prompto recuperates and the rest of us recover mentally.  The magic does appear to sap his strength,” Ignis replied.

“And I, as usual, bend to your good judgement,” Regis chuckled.  “Just look after my son.  And take care of yourself and the rest of course.”

Ignis hummed his consent and they exchanged farewells before hanging up the phone.  Ignis mulled over the information he had gleaned from the King as he started on dinner, pondering over why Regis was so desperate for Noctis and Prompto to form a friendship.  ‘Noctis must be endangered in some way,’ Ignis realized, and he also figured it had something to do with Noctis’s title as the future king of light.  He had remembered Noctis asking what it meant as a child, but just as back then Ignis had no clue.  It seemed only Regis and possibly the Oracle knew, and whatever it was they both kept it close to their chest.

While Ignis cooked, Noctis, Prompto, and Gladiolus had reached the fishing spot at the lake and Noctis was excitedly getting set up.  Gladio had found a bench next to the pier and had plopped down to pull out a book while Prompto half-heartedly took pictures.  He got a shot of the closest catoblepas, figuring he shouldn’t miss the opportunity, and snapped a few more of the lake and of Noctis as he got set up until he was sure the prince was distracted by fishing and Gladio was engrossed in his book.  He then slipped the phone into his pocket and kneeled down at the water’s edge to gaze out at the water. 

He was soon lost in thought, mind roiling with thoughts about everything that had happened that afternoon.  The attack, Noctis getting hurt, him revealing his secret.  While they had all taken it well and treated him kindly, he still couldn’t help but feel nervous and like Noctis’s injury had been his fault.  He absentmindedly tugged at his wristband as he thought, considering somehow just cutting his loses and returning back to the tower so he would no longer be a burden on anyone.  ‘Maybe father was right,’ he thought, eyebrows furrowed inward and a deep frown on his face as he sucked in his bottom lip slightly.

What Prompto didn’t realize, is that while Gladiolus was reading his book, he also remained vigilant and paused every few sentences to glance around at their surroundings.  Thus, he did notice when Prompto had stopped taking photos and instead knelt at the water’s edge with a forlorn expression reflected in the water.  Gladio carefully set down his book and looked over at his prince, wondering how he could catch his attention when Prompto had the phone.  He didn’t want to startle the guy, but also knew that he trusted Noctis the most in the group and would be more likely to open up him.  Noctis was often moody, but he had a soft heart and always did his best to help when he could.

To his relief, Noctis had actually paused in his fishing efforts and was looking back and scanning along the shore, probably to check on their new companion and see how he was doing.  Gladio gave a little wave to catch his attention before nodding over in Prompto’s direction.  Noctis’s brows furrowed when he noticed the blond’s melancholy state, and he soon had sent his fishing rod back into the armiger before making his way back to the shore with a concerned expression on his face.  He stopped and knelt down next to Prompto, who looked up at him, startled at his sudden appearance. 

“What’s up?” Noctis asked, plopping down on the ground next to him and leaning in until they brushed shoulders.

Prompto stiffened initially, but then sat down from his kneeling position in order to stretch out his legs.  He leaned back in order to be more comfortable, but he was still leaning close enough for their arms to touch.  Noctis noticed, and his face relaxed into something more at ease.  “I was just thinking…maybe it’s best if I just head back.”

“Head back?” Noctis asked in confusion.

“To home.  To my tower,” Prompto looked down.  “Look, I know you forgave me earlier but…” he sighed.  “You got hurt.  Really hurt.  If I didn’t have my powers, I don’t know what would have happened.  And it was all because of me.”  Guilt crept into his expression, and he folded his hands across his chest, but Noctis noticed that he gripped them tightly as he did so.  Prompto’s hands were lightly shaking from how tightly he was folding them together, and while he was pretending to be relaxed, Noctis could see the taught tension running through his narrow frame.

“Prom,” Noctis started, catching his attention.  Prompto looked over, remorse and unease in his indigo eyes, and Noctis reached over to place a hand over both of his, gently holding them until the shaking stopped.  His calm, yet warm, midnight blue eyes seeped into Prompto’s indigo, and the blond boy found himself getting lost in the gaze with some of the tension finally fading away. 

“I told you earlier. I’m glad you came with us.  And we’re going to take you to see the lanterns.  It’s your dream.”  Before Prompto could protest further, Noctis turned so he could face Prompto directly and continued to hold his gaze.  “Do you realize, that you are the first friend I have ever made outside of the Citadel?  Think about that for a moment.  All of my other friends also technically work for me.”  Noctis’s honest gaze bored into Prompto’s.  “That means more to me than any of that stuff with Niflheim or this road trip or even seeing places I’ve never been before.”

To Noctis’s amazement and relief, his words seemed to have an impact on Prompto, whose face slowly began to brighten at the news.  He then turned to face Noctis directly as well, resting on his knees again.  “Did you know, you’re my first friend _ever_?” Prompto asked, gracing Noctis with a small, shy smile.  “So, it makes me really happy to think, I’m also yours, in a way.”

Noctis’s eyes widened in surprise at Prompto’s confession, realizing that of course he’d be the other guy’s first friend.  Still, the thought that he would befriend this wonderful, kind, usually cheerful person before anyone else, warmed his heart to no end, and soon a wide smile spread across Noctis’s face.  Prompto stared in complete shock, for he had never seen Noctis smile so freely before, and he was soon tackled in a hug by the dark-haired boy.  Prompto squeaked as he fell backward, although he laughed lightly and wound up hugging him back in return, finding Noctis’s heartfelt hug soothing and appreciating heat that spread across his chest as a result.

“Alright you two, we’re too far away from anywhere to get a room,” Gladio grunted, snapping them out of their moment.  Noctis quickly pulled away, with a blush spreading across his face, while Prompto looked a bit confused.  Before he could ask, Gladio chuckled to himself.  “I’ll explain later – his highness looks scandalized enough already.”

Noctis stubbornly glared at Gladio, before standing up and reaching a hand down to help Prompto up as well.  “I guess we should go check on where Specs is at on dinner,” Noctis said, feeling a bit disappointed when he let go of Prompto’s hand.

“Don’t you want to fish longer?” Prompto asked, and Noctis shook his head.

“It’s starting to get dark already,” he noted, curious as to why it appeared to be getting dark so early in the evening.  “It’s best to be at the haven once it gets dark out.”

“About that,” Prompto replied, before hesitating slightly.  “Won’t we get attacked by daemons sleeping outside?”

Gladio began to explain to him about the runes at the havens as they walked, and Prompto looked relieved when he realized the runes would keep the daemons and beasts away.  “That’s really cool!” he piped up, and both men were relieved to see him returning to his more energetic self.  They managed to arrive just as Ignis had wrapped up on making dinner, although he was surprised to see them return so early, expecting Noctis to have stayed until right before dusk.  He was worried for a moment that something had happened, but the three of them seemed to be in high spirits as they returned, although Gladiolus did meet his eyes before motioning that he would explain later.

Ignis had made oyakodon, which was one of Noctis’s favorite dishes, paired egg and chicken in what was known as the mother and child rice bowl.  Noctis grinned upon seeing it and eagerly took his bowl from Ignis, while Prompto breathed in the smell excitedly.  “Whatever that is smells amazing,” he said, happily taking his bowl as well and immediately digging in.

Ignis watched expectantly as he took his first bite, immediately stopping once the food was in his mouth.  Ignis was nervous by Prompto’s unreadable expression, especially when tears suddenly began to form at the corner of his eyes.  He then began to slowly chew, and Ignis relaxed as he realized they were tears of joy as his face lit up at the taste.  “Iggy, that was the best thing I have ever tasted,” he breathed once he was finished, and Ignis chuckled lightly, but looked immensely pleased.

“Then please, continue to enjoy your meal,” he smiled fondly, and Prompto immediately grabbed one of the folding chairs and complied.  Gladiolus gratefully grabbed his own bowl, but he, Noctis, and Ignis had to stop and watch Prompto eat for a moment with obvious affection.  By the time they were finished eating, it was dark outside and they could hear the creaking sound of daemons appearing outside of the haven.  It made Prompto nervous at first, but he trusted his new friends and soon began to tune it out like he had at his tower. 

Ignis and Gladiolus both worked together to clean up their dinner, using water Ignis had heated on the stove to use to wash the dishes, while Noctis pulled Prompto over next to him in order to show him Kings Knight and show off some of the high-level characters he had collected over the past year.  “When we get to Insomnia, I’m going to get you a phone so we can play together.  I can even transfer over your pictures so you’ll have your own copy,” Noctis explained excitedly.  His eyes then became slightly pinched, as he thought about what would happen after his birthday.  “And if you really do return to your tower…then we’ll have a way to keep in contact.  And I’ll be sure to visit, and you’ll have to visit me too!”

Prompto also appeared conflicted and merely nodded in response before gazing at the fire that Gladio had set up once they had returned from fishing.  Noctis winced, regretting bringing up that particular subject, before his eyes widened with a new idea.  He quickly summoned Prompto’s chocobo plush and handed it to him, smiling to himself when he saw the other man’s eyes widen happily as he took it.  “So, does it have a name?” Noctis asked.

“Solis,” Prompto smiled hugging it to his chest.

“I have my own chocobo named Vesperus,” Noctis explained before pulling up a picture of the black chocobo on his phone to show him.  Prompto sucked in his breath in amazement as he looked at the picture.  “When we get to the citadel, I’ll be sure to have you meet him,” he admitted. “I think he’d like you.”

“I’d like that,” Prompto grinned, before handing him back his phone.

“So, why chocobos?” Noctis asked curiously.

“Well,” Prompto started, a soft expression crossing his face.  Noctis felt his heart melt a little and was suddenly glad Ignis and Gladiolus were preoccupied at the moment.  “When I was a kid, one of my favorite books to read was the animal encyclopedia.  I would pour over it, reading the descriptions and attempting to copy the drawings I saw in the book.  And the chocobos?  Well, they were my favorite animal.”  Prompto smiled at the memory, before continuing.  “I started to beg father for a chocobo, and he refused, pointing out that we couldn’t keep one in the tower.  Then, one year for my birthday, he brought me Solis as a consolation.”

Prompto’s eyes looked so warm and happy as he relayed the memory, that Noctis’s breath caught in his throat.  “So, you’ve never seen a chocobo in person, right?” Noctis asked, the gears turning in his head.

“Never,” Prompto agreed with a sigh.  “But, you said I’ll get to meet yours soon, right?” he replied, a hopeful smile on his face.

“Yeah, soon,” Noctis replied distractedly, turning to catch Ignis’s attention.  There would be a change of plans for their destination the next day.  He knew of a place that shouldn’t be too far from here that would be a perfect surprise for Prompto.  Ignis caught his gaze, and Noctis quickly pulled him aside to let him know where he wanted to go.  Ignis considered his words for a moment, before agreeing to his plan, since the location in question was on the way anyway.  Noctis gave Ignis a warm smile in response before dragging Prompto off to the tent to change into sleepwear before bed, and Ignis couldn’t help but smile slightly, for it had been awhile since Noctis had looked so happy and carefree. 

He and Gladiolus quickly conferred everything that had happened separately that evening, along with Noctis’s surprise for Prompto in the morning, before also heading to turn in for the night in the tent.  They would be leaving early in the morning to their next destination and wanted to get a good night’s rest.


	11. Wiz's Chocobo Post

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Chocobros take a slight detour to let Prompto see chocobos for the first time.

They left bright and early the next day after Ignis threw together a quick breakfast of bacon, eggs, and toast with coffee.  Prompto was once again delighted by his food, and as they broke the camp down Noctis could overhear Gladiolus teasing the obviously pleased cook about it.  Ignis didn’t mind, however, and promised that he had something planned for dinner that night that he thought Prompto would really like.  All three of them were carefully hiding the surprise from the cheerful blond, who seemed to have recovered after a good night’s rest and taking in the clean, outdoors air.

Thus, he was completely oblivious when they piled into the car and Ignis took them in a different direction so they could take the planned detour.  As they grew closer to their destination, they all started to steal glances at Prompto, waiting for the moment that he spotted the sign.  Sure enough, Noctis grinned when Prompto’s eyes widened and he excitedly pointed out the window.  “Wiz’s Chocobo Post?” he asked excitedly.  “What’s that?”

“You are about to see for yourself,” Ignis chuckled as he turned down the road for the post.  As they pulled up, they heard a loud kweh in the distance, and Prompto immediately recognized it as the sound from Noctis’s notifications.

Prompto’s eyes were wide, and he immediately craned his neck until he could spot the bird up ahead.  It was his first time seeing a chocobo in person, and the bird was every bit as majestic and beautiful as he could imagine, with shiny yellow plumage and a tall, sturdy frame that was perfect for riding.  Prompto covered his mouth with his hand in wonder, before whipping around to face Noctis and grabbing his arm with his other hand.  “We’re going to see chocobos?” he asked, his voice taking on a higher pitch and cracking slightly in his excitement.

Noctis grinned and nodded as Gladiolus and Ignis got out of the car and moved the seats.  Prompto immediately tore away, Noctis’s phone in hand to take pictures, and he started to make his way excitedly over to the stable area where that chocobo and several others of varying colors were milling about. Started to, that is, until he noticed something that immediately caused him to still.  He heard a chirping sound and looked down to see a small, fat chocobo chick looking up curiously at him.  Prompto’s mouth dropped open and he stared back in wonder as it watched him with its head cocked to the side.  “It probably thinks you’re its mother,” Gladio joked.  “Your hair color is identical to its feathers.”

Prompto ignored his teasing remark and carefully kneeled down next to the chick, which had surprisingly not moved away yet.  “Hey there little guy,” Prompto started to say, before carefully reaching his hand toward the bird.  He hesitated right before touching it, almost afraid somehow that this would all be suddenly taken away from him, but he eventually willed himself to reach down and stroke the downy soft feathers.  A wide smile spread across Prompto’s face, and Noctis quickly grabbed Ignis’s phone from him (Ignis shot him a glare that Noctis ignored) so he could snap a picture of his own.  He then proceeded to text it to himself.

Ignis scoffed while Gladio chuckled, and Prompto was completely unware and in his own world.  Especially since he soon sat down and the chocobo chick proceeded to climb into his lap and make itself at home.  “I shall go purchase some grain and enquire about a quick riding lesson for Prompto,” Ignis announced, before heading toward the shop area.  Gladiolus leaned against the car and watched, bemused, as Prompto continued to be overwhelmed by the experience and his prince continued to capture the moment with his phone.  Noctis’s eyes were soft and tender as he watched over Prompto, and Gladio let out a sigh.  His prince was falling hard, and Gladio was starting to hope that maybe once they reached Insomnia, Prompto would change his mind about leaving.

Noctis eventually had to pry Prompto away from the chick, knowing that they only had limited time here and that there were a few more things they wanted Prompto to do.  They walked over to the pens where the adults were, some of them eating their gysahl greens, others preening themselves, and a few being tended to by the ranch hands.  Wiz himself was actually out there, a stout, almost stern looking man who always had a cap on and kept his sleeves rolled up to do work.  Although he looked a bit strict, they could tell as he looked at the chocobo he was helping that he had a soft spot for the animals and was doing a very good job being gentle as he tended to it. 

Ignis walked over with some of the greens he had purchased, handing them to both Noctis who also loved chocobos and Prompto.  Both men eagerly leaned forward, Noctis choosing a black chocobo that reminded him of Vesperus and Prompto choosing the yellow one he had first seen that reminded him of Solis.  Both chocobos were very interested in the food the boys had with them, and eagerly leaned forward to take the greens directly from their hands.  Prompto giggled at the odd sensation as the chocobo carefully grabbed the greens with its beak, and once it was done it then looked at Prompto carefully, before leaning forward and carefully preening at his hair.

Gladiolus began laughing in the background about how the new chocobo thought Prompto was its son, and Noctis shushed him before demanding he take pictures for him.  Noctis was now petting the black chocobo and didn’t want to have to pull away to take Ignis’s stolen phone back out.  Gladio gladly took some pictures for Noctis, finding the moment endearing if not amusing as well.  Prompto had buried his face in the chocobo’s neck and was softly petting it with his arms around it as well.  The chocobo had a particular, outdoors smell to it that was earthy but Prompto found relaxing, and the bird’s tender preening of his hair and soft feathers were so much more than he had ever imagined reading those books as a child.  Prompto had never felt this content in his life.

“Prom, we’ve got one more surprise for you,” Noctis interrupted, almost hating to disturb his peace.

“There’s no way,” Prompto replied.  “This is already more than I could have ever dreamed of.”  His indigo eyes were shining brightly, and a wide smile had spread across his face.  Noctis looked dumbstruck and had to pull himself together to reply. 

Luckily, he was saved by one of the ranch hands had come over with a saddle.  She asked curiously, “Which one of you has never ridden before?” and Prompto immediately snapped his head around to look at her.

“R-ride?” he asked, overwhelmed.

“Yeah, you ordered one lesson for someone with no experience, right?” she asked in confusion.

“That would be him,” Noctis grinned, before giving Prompto a slight nudge.  That broke him from his daze, and soon the freckled boy was eagerly climbing over the fence and being shown how to properly saddle the chocobo so it would be comfortable.

Prompto also learned that the chocobo in question was a she and went by the name Sol.  “That’s just like my Solis!” Prompto said excitedly, and the other three men grinned at her confusion.

“It’s a chocobo plush he has,” Ignis replied smoothly.  “He has always adored them but we live in the city and he has not had the opportunity to ride one.”

The hand’s eyes then rested on Noctis, and they saw recognition suddenly hit her.  She remained professional, however, and explained to Prompto the basics of riding before helping him hoist up and slowly walking him around the pen on the chocobo.  Noctis continued to snap pictures with Ignis’s phone, while Prompto looked surprisingly comfortable for his first time on the bird.  He picked up the basics of riding pretty quickly, and it didn’t take long for him to be able to ride without the ranch hand leading him and to even get a short trot going toward the end. 

Once he was down, he enthusiastically came back over the fence and wrapped Noctis in a tight hug.  “This was the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me,” he babbled, and Noctis smiled before gently holding him back.

“You deserve it,” he said into Prompto’s ear, and Prompto was surprised by the odd shiver that passed through his body in reaction to the smooth timbre of his voice.

He pulled away slightly, and Noctis tilted his head and narrowed his eyes in confusion.  “Everything alright?” he asked, while Prompto flushed in what he thought to be embarrassment. 

“Yeah, everything’s fine,” he replied nervously.  ‘What was that?’ he wondered. 

Before they left, Wiz approached and insisted they all get a picture in front of the pen, with Noctis’s permission of course.  Noctis honestly didn’t care, and he felt like the man deserved the recognition after how happy Prompto was.  All of the chocobos were kept in very healthy condition, and Wiz was known to be the best chocobo breeder in Lucis.  In fact, Vesperus had originally come from Wiz’s Chocobo Post, and Noctis would still get occasional messages from the man asking about the chocobo’s condition.  He was glad to get to see it in person. 

They then all left with a free t-shirt, although Ignis didn’t look particularly excited about it since he preferred tailored, fitted dress shirts.  “We’re totally doing a group photo with these on later,” Noctis snickered at him, and Ignis sighed.

“We need to head out now.  We shall have to stop to get gas before starting on the next leg of our trip,” he cautioned.

They headed out after buying some sandwiches from the little café attached to the gift shop, eating them in the car since they didn’t have extra time to spare.  Luckily, down the road there was another gas station, and they made a quick pit stop.  While Noctis filled the car up, Ignis studied the GPS, a crease forming on his forehead as he realized it may be dark before they were able to reach Galdin Quay from here.  ‘Hopefully there will be another station or a haven between here and there,’ Ignis thought with a sigh. 

They then headed out again.  Once they were back in the car, Ignis turned on some soothing music while he and Gladio quietly chatted in the front seat.  That left Noctis and Prompto to talk in the back, and Prompto decided to bring up something he had found strange.  “What was that weird dog that was with you the first time you visited?” he asked curiously.

“Oh, Umbra?” Noctis asked.  “He’s one of Lunafreya’s dogs.  She’s a childhood friend of mine and the Oracle.”

“The Princess of Tenebrea,” Prompto parroted, for Lunafreya and her brother Ravus had shown up in a few of his political books.  Any information about her being Oracle had been carefully removed, however.

“Yeah,” Noctis nodded.  “I think you’d like her.  She’s actually the reason why we met,” Noctis mused.  “She’ll be at my birthday, so I’ll be sure to introduce you.”

“I’d like that,” Prompto said.  “Why does Umbra…disappear like that though?” he asked.

“Oh, Umbra and Luna’s other dog, Pryna.  They’re special,” Noctis replied.  “They’re messengers for the Oracle and have some magic of their own as a result.”  He noticed Prompto’s shining gaze as he described the dogs and smiled to himself; the blond was certainly an animal lover.  “I’ll be sure to introduce you to both of them too.”

Shortly afterward, Noctis began to doze off, tired from their early start that morning, while Prompto began to jot down notes in his journal.  He wanted to ensure he had a record of what was now officially the best moment of his life.  He just hoped that the lanterns could live up to that moment.  While he scratched away, Ignis was carefully watching the horizon, noting that the sun appeared to be lower in the sky than it should be.  There was definitely no way they’d make it to Galdin Quay.  “Gladiolus,” he called, catching Gladio’s attention at the full use of his name.

“Yeah, Iggy?” he asked, looking over cautiously.

“The sun has been setting earlier the past few days, has it not?” he asked.

Gladiolus looked up at the position of the sun, before looking at the time on the dash board.  He swore under his breath.  “Yeah.  How is that possible?” he asked.

Ignis shook his head.  “I need you to be on the lookout for any form of shelter.  We will not make it on the road if we have to drive at night,” Ignis replied.  “This vehicle is not equipped with anti-daemon lights because it was designed to be driven throughout Insomnia.”

Most vehicles in Insomnia did not have the specialty lights since the streetlights were already designed to keep daemons away.  Gladiolus grunted to show that he understood, carefully pulling up the GPS on his phone and trying to see if he could see another gas station or haven along the way.  He also sent a quick text to his father letting him know they wouldn’t make it to Galdin Quay that night.  “There is a haven up the road, but it looks like we may be reaching it a bit past dark, based on where the sun is at now,” Gladio explained, and Ignis nodded his head.

“We shall have to deal with what comes,” he said with a sigh.  They still had a bit of daylight left, so Ignis did his best to make time as best as he could.  As it grew later in the day, they passed by less and less cars on the road, since most people avoided driving at night.  The anti-daemon car lights were expensive, so most were unable to afford it to begin with.

Once it began to turn to dusk, Prompto grew restless and asked, “Are we almost to a place to stay for the night?”

“We shall hopefully be there soon,” Ignis tried to assure him.  “Just in case, it may be best to wake up Noct.”

Prompto nodded and gently shook Noctis until he finally woke up.  “What’s going on?” he asked with a yawn.  “We in Galdin Quay yet?”

“I am afraid not,” Ignis replied, voice a bit strained.  “We were too far out and are currently trying to get to a Haven for the night.”

This caught Noctis’s attention, and he was suddenly alert, sitting up and staring out the window.  Gladiolus was as well, turning off the music and straining all his senses to try to hear the telltale sign of a daemon forming.  They were moving pretty fast and should be able to outrun the daemons; the only problem would be if one opened up in front of them.  And it was now dark enough that it was finally a good possibility.

They did spot a few daemons form out at a distance from the road, but so far they had been lucky.  Prompto was sitting stiffly, a concerned look on his face, while Ignis tightly gripped the steering wheel, eyes peeled for any sign of the haven.  Just as he spotted the telltale sign of the smoke from the magic fire rising in the distance, showing up due to the bright moonlight, they heard the creaking sound of a daemon forming close by and Ignis had to slam on the breaks as a massive, blobby form began to rise out of the ground in front of them.  The daemon was referred to as a flan, only this one was much more massive than usual, and had several other flans surrounding it.  Its body was a disgusting, gelatinous mound that had a large mouth and eyes.  They basically slid along the ground like a slug since they didn’t have arms or legs.

Noctis groaned as Ignis and Gladiolus leapt out of the car, weapons already at hand.  Noctis summoned Prompto’s weapon and handed it to him, before scrambling out of the car behind Ignis and summoning his sword.  “Ignis, what do you remember about these things?” Noctis asked as they prepared to fight.

“I believe they are resistant to weapons, for reasons that should be readily apparent, but magic should be effective against them,” Ignis replied.

“So pipsqueak and I will distract them while you two use your magic,” Gladiolus suggested.  Noctis had offensive magic he could use as a Lucis Caelum, but Ignis carried magic flasks with him that would provide him temporary magical ability.  The others agreed with Gladio’s plan and soon Gladio rushed ahead and started swinging at the closest flan even though half of his swing just bounced right off, while Prompto fell back and began to fire shots that seemed to irritate them more than anything else.

Noctis, meanwhile, closed his eyes and tapped into his elemental magic energy that he could access similarly to his armiger.  “I believe it would be wise to use blizzard magic,” Ignis commented as he pulled out one of his flasks.  “If we manage to freeze them, that will allow Gladiolus and Prompto to do more damage as well.”

“Got it,” Noctis replied, pulling from his ice reserves.  The air around Noctis began to cool down significantly, and he clenched his fists together, causing ice crystals to form around his hands.  Noctis then opened his eyes, throwing his hand forward in front of him to send the blizzard magic shooting out toward the giant flan.  Gladiolus cursed and quickly leapt back as the spell hit, causing the sound of an explosion as ice and snow suddenly burst around the large flan, causing ice to form around parts of its body and cementing it in place.  A few of the surrounding flans were affected as well, and the temperature suddenly dropped significantly, causing all of them to begin to shiver.

Ignis had switched from his lance to twin daggers, silvery blades with an ornate design on the handle, and broke off one of his flasks in his hands causing ice magic to run up and down the blades.  He gripped them tightly before rushing forward, slashing at the different flans and managing to take one of them down.  Gladiolus and Noctis rushed forward with him, able to actually land full hits on the flans that were now frozen from the magic.  Prompto, meanwhile, continued to fire, feeling relieved that with the other three, the daemons didn’t seem as scary as they always had in his tower.

Just as the blizzard magic began to wear off, they finally took down the giant flan which had been the last one remaining, and Ignis ushered them back to the car.  He hurried down the road toward the haven, feeling relieved when they finally pulled up next to it without anymore interference from daemons.  They quickly scrambled up to the haven, Gladiolus and Ignis pulling out necessary items from the armiger, while Noctis sat down next to the fire in order to rest and warm up.  Prompto plopped down next to him too, looking over at his friend with worry.  “Sorry, I’m still practicing with my magic, so it took a bit out of me,” Noctis admitted.

“Hey, it’s the same with me,” Prompto grinned, giving Noctis a light shove.  “That was so cool by the way!  You really saved the day!”

Noctis grinned, a slight blush on his cheeks.  “I can summon fire and lightning too,” he admitted, and Prompto’s eyes widened.  “I just have to find an energy deposit to replenish my reserves whenever they get low.  I store it in a space in my armiger.”

“You can do all of that, huh?” Prompto asked thoughtfully.  “That’s just amazing.”

“Not as amazing as being able to heal,” Noctis replied.  “You’re the one that’s truly remarkable.”

“Prom, you going to help out or trade compliments all night?” Gladiolus asked, and Prompto quickly jumped up to help him pitch the tent.

“You alright, Noct?” Ignis asked as he set up his outdoor kitchen, and Noctis nodded.

“With some sleep I think I’ll be ok,” he replied.

Soon, Prompto and Gladiolus had camp set up, and while Ignis started on dinner, Gladiolus set up the campfire.  Prompto and Noctis gratefully sat down in their camping chairs, scooting closer to the fire to warm up and relax.

“What’s for dinner tonight, Iggy?” Gladiolus asked, going over to look over his shoulder once he was done with the fire.

“Green curry,” Ignis replied.  “It has more spices and flavor so I wanted to see how Prompto would appreciate it.”

While he worked, Noctis dozed off in his chair while Prompto flipped through the pictures on Noctis’s phone from earlier that day; there were a few he had taken of the chocobos along with the ones from Gladiolus’s phone and Ignis’s phone that Noctis had transferred over.  He smiled softly as he looked through them, in complete awe that he finally had been able to see his favorite animal in person.  After awhile, the curry was done, and Prompto woke Noctis up and returned his phone to him so they could eat.

The moment Prompto took his first bite, he was completely floored by the taste.  His food had always been pretty bland growing up, for he had nothing beyond salt and pepper to season with and hadn’t even been aware of the plethora of herb and spice options out there.  Ignis was pleased by the delighted look on Prompto’s face, knowing that he had chosen the dish correctly.  “Are you sure you don’t also have magic?” Prompto asked.

Ignis chuckled.  “I am quite certain.  There are, however, several different spices in there that I am sure you are tasting.”  The four of them ate their meal happily, ignoring the daemons that occasionally popped up outside of the haven, before Prompto helped Ignis clean up once everyone was done.  They then headed to bed, worn out from their early start and from their daemon encounter.  They should reach Galdin Quay sometime the next day, which was an area very familiar to the three from Insomnia.  Noctis couldn’t wait to show Prompto the beautiful resort city.


	12. Magitek

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The chocobros are attacked right outside Galdin Quay and Prompto starts to get dragged off...

The next morning, they headed out early, not wanting to delay reaching Galdin Quay any longer than they already had.  Especially since Cor had already arrived the day before and was waiting for them there.  Noctis had immediately passed out upon entering the car, still worn out from using magic the night before.  He sprawled out across the backseat and was soon resting his head in Prompto’s lap, who had immediately turned into a blushing mess.  Although Noctis had leaned against Prompto on more than one occasion during the trip, Prompto hadn’t thought much of it until now and the freckled young man couldn’t really explain the sudden change. 

Whereas before he had seen it as something friendly and welcoming after years of very little interaction with others, let alone physical touch, now he began to notice things like the smell of Noctis’s cologne which gave him a fluttering feeling in his stomach and how warm every part of his body felt where the dark-haired prince pressed against him.  Gladio and Ignis also noticed his flustered appearance from the front seats and exchanged light smiles.  They had perceived how besotted Noctis appeared with his new friend, and they hadn’t really seen any sign from Prompto returning those feelings until now; before everything had been new to him and his fondness for their prince had bordered on hero worship for introducing him to the outside world.  Now, however, it was clear those feelings had shifted almost overnight.  They both thought it would be good for Noctis, who had never really gotten close to anyone outside of his inner circle, let alone dated.  Prompto was a sweet young man and would definitely treat him right if things continued to progress.

Their peaceful moment was soon interrupted as a Niflheim dropship suddenly appeared over the car, surprising all of them since they hadn’t heard it coming.  “You have got to be shitting me,” Gladiolus grumbled, immediately shaking Noctis awake who sat up blearily and grumpily rubbed his eyes.

“What is it, jeeze,” he complained.

“This isn’t time to be bitching, Noct,” Gladio said.  Ignis gave Gladio a slightly irritated look at his tone, but Noctis who was used to it didn’t seem to mind now that he was starting to realize they were under attack. 

Unlike on their previous encounters, the drop ship remained hovered a few feet above the air and immediately opened its hatch, dropping a platoon of magitek soldiers that looked a little hardier that the first ones that had been with Aranea.  These were obviously much more powerful units, and the four of them quickly exited the car and soon had a weapon in hand.  The magitek wasted no time and immediately attacked, focusing their efforts on Ignis, Noctis, and Gladiolus while Prompto tried to stay back and direct his fire to provide backup.

Gladio soon had to switch from his broadsword to his shield in order to protect Noctis, who kept getting bombarded by the soldiers that were using weapons such as axes and chainsaws to try to incapacitate him.  Noctis found his temper flare when he realized he was having trouble landing a hit on any of them due to the sheer number that had surrounded them, and he desperately tried to warp between the soldiers to knock one down or gain an opening, but it was to no avail.  Ignis was struggling to return to Noctis’s side, having become cut off from his prince soon after they got swarmed.  He wanted to use one of his magic flasks to give him an advantage, but he was worried he may accidentally hit Gladiolus or Noctis in the fray and didn’t want to harm them by accident. 

His worried thoughts were quickly interrupted by a frantic shout coming from behind him, and Ignis immediately turned and felt his blood freeze as he realized why they were being swarmed by the magitek.  Prompto was desperately shouting for help and had both arms pinned behind his back by one magitek, while another had wrenched his weapon away.  Prompto was trying his best to pull away, panic etched into his expression as his worst nightmare of being taken away was starting to come true.  Two more magitek had branched away to help immobilize the blond, and he was soon cuffed at the arms and legs, choking as he began to hyperventilate when he realized he couldn’t get away.

“Prompto!” Ignis shouted, struggling to break free from the magitek that were surrounding him, but unable to get to an opening.

His shout caught Noctis and Gladiolus’s attention, who immediately began to look around until they spotted Prompto get slung onto the shoulder of one of the magitek that began to make its way back to the drop ship, flanked by two of the others.  “Fuck, Prompto!” Noctis swore, attempting to warp strike his way over but immediately getting thrown back by one of the magitek in the process.  He landed on the ground with a dull thud, and Gladio was barely able to make it to his side and block an ax swing with his shield.

“Iggy, can you get to him?” Gladio shouted, digging the bottom of his shield into the ground for support as Noctis gasped and tried to get his breath back.

“I am trying my best,” Ignis grunted as he parried an attack with his daggers.  “There are just too many of them.”  He was keeping an eye on Prompto between dodging and deflecting attacks, and he felt sick when he realized how close they were to the ship.  Once they got Prompto onto the ship, there would be no way to get the young man back, he was sure of it.  “We must figure out something soon – they have almost reached the ship,” he said, gasping as one of the magitek managed to get a hit in, slicing a cut along his arm.

His words caught Noctis’s attention, who used Gladio as a crutch to shakily stand up.  He craned his neck to see over the sea of magitek and spotted Prompto who had begun thrashing violently on the magitek’s shoulder upon seeing how close to the drop ship they were.  The magitek didn’t seem to mind and continued without hesitation to its destination.  Noctis immediately saw red, and he felt himself snap.  He let out a shout, and suddenly blue light burst from his body with the sound of shattering crystal, turning into weapons borrowed from his ancestors that circled around him.  They maintained their blue, crystalized look, but anyone who had studied Lucian history would be able to recognize them as each being a weapon from one of his ancestors that were currently lending him their strength.

Noctis clenched his teeth before leaping in the air, using the weapons circling around him to warp strike every which way, laying slaughter to the magitek in his immediate vicinity and finally giving himself enough of an opening to warp over to the magitek carrying Prompto.  He immediately knocked it down with the strike while simultaneously reaching forward to grab Prompto with his free arm and yanking him to his chest protectively.  Prompto was still trembling slightly from his terror, and Noctis felt his rage continue to grow.  “Noct, behind you!” Prompto gasped into his shoulder, and Noctis used one of the weapons circling around him to block an attack by one of the magitek that had been flanking the one carrying Prompto; that one had not moved after getting knocked down. 

Noctis reluctantly let go of Prompto so he could defend him from the remaining two magitek, since Prompto was immobilized due to the cuffs.  “Stay close to me,” Noctis said, voice gruff as he parried another attack.  Using his armiger in such a way was quickly draining his magic, which was already pretty depleted after last night’s daemon attack. 

Prompto could tell the prince was growing tired, and looked around, noticing that the magitek who had taken his weapon had dropped it in order to begin attacking.  It was just close enough that he could bend over and reach it with his hands, grunting as he finally grasped it and holding it awkwardly with his hands cuffed together.  At least now he could help Noctis.  Prompto began to fire the gun, knocking the ax out of the closest magitek to Noctis’s hands, surprising his friend who threw him a grateful smile over his shoulder before dodging a chainsaw attack by the other one. 

While they focused on taking out the remaining two magitek by them, Ignis and Gladiolus were finally making headway on the ones remaining after Noctis had taken out half of them with his armiger.  They both knew that it was Noctis’s first time using the power of the kings in such a way and that he would probably be crashing soon.  They had to get to him and Prompto soon and get to Galdin Quay which wasn’t that far now.  Ignis could not believe that Niflheim was so bold as to attack Lucis this close to Insomnia, since Galdin Quay was the closest city to the capital, and he knew that Cor would be furious once he found out.

Thankfully Noctis’s magic managed to hold out just long enough, and they had finished off the last of the magitek just as he finally collapsed to the ground, completely exhausted. Prompto dropped to his knees next to him, placing a hand on Noctis’s shoulder and closing his eyes as he shared some of his healing magic with the dark-haired man.  The golden glow flowed into Noctis, who looked pale and was shakily panting after the energy he had exerted trying to protect Prompto.  While Prompto tried to re-energize Noctis and heal some of the minor wounds he had received from the fight, Ignis worked on removing the cuffs from his hands and feet, causing the blond to immediately feel relieved once they were free.

“Thank you, Iggy,” he beamed tiredly, although Ignis could tell by a darkness hidden in his eyes that he was still unsettled by what had just happened.

“I think that’s enough for now,” Ignis said gently, carefully pulling Prompto’s hands away from Noctis.  “His magic comes from the Crystal of Lucis, so unfortunately I do not believe your magic will be able to refill his,” Ignis explained.  Sure enough, while Noctis’s wounds had healed, he still looked drained.

Prompto frowned, biting his lip slightly when he realized Ignis was right.  He also then noticed the cut on Ignis’s arm and gently reached out to place his hand next to it, sending more of his golden healing light to the wound to fix it.  While he did so, Gladio reached down and picked up Noctis, carefully holding his prince in his arms.  Noctis had passed out and was sleeping soundly.  “I have to hand it to him, Noct really saved the day this time,” Gladio said fondly.  Prompto had finished with Ignis’s wounds and was looking over Gladio to see if he needed help.  To his surprise the large man appeared to be relatively unharmed.

“Yes, we are very fortunate he managed to awaken the armiger,” Ignis replied.  “I only saw his father utilize it once – it is supposed to be very difficult and draining on their magic.”  He looked worriedly at Noctis, and Prompto found his eyes also trailing anxiously to him as well.

“He’ll be fine after some sleep,” Gladio replied, noticing both sets of concerned gazes.  “It would take a lot more than this to take Noct down.”

Ignis let out a deep breath.  “You are correct.  Thank you, Gladio.”  He smiled at Gladiolus, who grinned back before nudging Prompto who still looked upset.  “Make sure when he wakes up he sees your goofy face instead of that frown, alright?” he said gently, and Prompto nodded, trying his best to calm down.

“Thank you guys.  For saving me,” he said, and Ignis gave him a gentle hug while Gladio rubbed the top of his hair fondly.

“Anytime,” Gladio grinned.  “But we should really be getting out of here before anymore of them show up.  We won’t have Noctis’s armiger to use next time,” he said seriously, and they nodded before quickly piling back into the car.  This time Prompto gently cradled Noctis’s head in his lap, brushing his finger’s lightly through his hair, unsure if it was to soothe the sleeping prince or his own nerves.

Ignis drove much faster than usual and had the radio off, while Gladio kept a sharp eye out for anymore signs of a drop ship or magitek troops.  Fortunately, they did not run into any more of them and soon caught a glimpse of the sea between the cliffs they had to drive through in order to get to the resort city.  Prompto let out a gasp when he saw the city in the distance, built up around the beach with a glistening hotel built on a pier directly over the water as the crown jewel.  His face was lit up with amazement, and the stress from their earlier encounter faded temporarily as he took in the sight.  Not only was Galdin Quay a beautiful city, but it was Prompto’s first time seeing the ocean which was glittering in the afternoon sunlight.

“I am sure Noctis wishes he were awake to see Prompto’s reaction,” Ignis murmured to Gladiolus with a soft smile, and Gladio sneakily captured a picture to send to Noctis once he woke up later.

When they pulled up into the main parking area for the hotel, they were met by a stern looking man with light brown, short cropped hair and piercing light blue eyes.  He was dressed in all black which signified he worked for the crown since black was the royal color of Lucis.  Gladiolus had texted Cor Leonis the moment they saw the city, and he had made his way down to the parking lot in order to meet them.  His eyes narrowed upon seeing Noctis passed out in the car, looking more drained that his usual sluggishness, although they softened slightly upon seeing Prompto sitting protectively over him.  As they got out of the car and Gladio walked around to Noctis’s side in order to lift him out, Cor met with Prompto and gave him a firm handshake.  “The name is Cor Leonis.  I am the Marshal of the Crownsguard of Lucis,” he greeted.

“Uh, I’m Prompto Argentum.  I guess I’m the friend of the Prince of Lucis?” Prompto replied hesitantly, and a light smile graced Cor’s face.  He liked this kid already.

“I have a room set up at the hotel.  Care to explain what happened to cause Noctis to be in such a state?” Cor asked.

“We shall explain in the room,” Ignis replied, locking up the car as they headed toward the pier that lead to the hotel.  Gladio was carefully carrying Noctis, while Prompto walked nervously between Ignis and Gladiolus.  Cor led the way, bringing them to a large hotel suite that overlooked the ocean with an amazing view.  If Noctis hadn’t still been passed out, Prompto would definitely be taking some pictures, but he instead found himself worrying over his friend once Gladio had set him down on one of the beds.

Ignis, meanwhile, filled Cor in on what had happened.  The stern man looked livid when he heard what had happened, clenching his fists at several points during Ignis’s outline of events.  He seemed pretty proud when Ignis relayed the part about Noctis unleashing the full power of the armiger however, and he shot the sleeping prince a fond grin. 

“Reggie will be pretty pleased to hear he did that all on his own,” Cor commented, before crossing his arms across his chest.  “However, with these attacks so close to Insomnia, I don’t see how we can avoid war at this point.”  While no one liked the idea of war, Cor was pretty pissed that his prince had been attacked twice and threatened three times now and felt it would be pretty warranted.

Prompto looked up, a sick expression crossing his face at the mention of war, and he glanced away from the other three before quietly leaving to go to the bathroom.  He began to shake again, and he shut the lid on the toilet before sitting down, drawing his arms close around him.  What was the point in leaving his tower if it caused a war? 

While he tried to hold himself together, Ignis and Cor were talking quietly to one another about what they would say to the king when they called to update him a few minutes, while Gladio settled on a chair in the living room area to get some reading in.  He was also watching the bathroom carefully, for he had noticed Prompto’s upset expression as he disappeared earlier and wanted to make sure their new friend was ok.  When Prompto finally exited, having washed his face in his attempt to calm down, Gladio noted that he seemed a little better, although he still looked a bit down.  “Hey Prom,” he called, and Prompto looked up in surprise, not realizing anyone had noticed him duck out.

Gladio tossed him Solis after pulling the plush from the armiger, and Prompto caught it gratefully.  “Get some rest – I’m sure you’re exhausted too,” Gladio said.  “Don’t worry about all that stuff either – Lucis and Niflheim have had strained relations since long before you were born.  If anything does happen, it was bound to happen eventually,” he shrugged. 

Prompto nodded slightly to show he understood, before crawling into bed next to Noctis and snuggling Solis close to his chest.  Gladio doubted the blond was actually sleeping since it was so early, but he figured he deserved time to rest.  They spent the evening quietly, ordering room service from the five star restaurant located on the pier next to the hotel, and Noctis remained passed out the rest of the day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I often listen to the FFXV soundtrack as I write, and just as I was writing about them arriving at Galdin Quay, the literal Galdin Quay song began to play haha Thought that was pretty neat.


	13. Hammerhead

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Chocobros stop at Hammerhead on their way to Insomnia~

That morning they woke up and ate breakfast at Mother of Pearl, the 5-star restaurant located at the pier.  The breakfast items were all fine dining brunch options, and most of them were Tenebraean in style.  Although Prompto would usually be ecstatic at trying new dishes, he was instead picking at his eggs benedict and staring off at the ocean which could be seen from the restaurant.  Noctis, meanwhile, was sluggish after expending so much energy the day before, and he didn’t seem to notice in his foggy daze.  Ignis and Gladiolus appeared worried for them both, but they didn’t want to mention anything in front of the Marshal.  Cor, meanwhile, ate his breakfast quickly before leaving in order to get everything prepared for their departure.  It was still quite a distance to Insomnia, so they would be stopping in Hammerhead overnight, a small town outside of Insomnia where one of Regis’s old friends and his granddaughter lived.

Once he left, Gladio lightly nudged Prompto and asked, “Your food ok?  The chef will make you something else if you don’t like it.”

Prompto blinked and nearly dropped his fork.  “No, I like it!  It’s really good,” he said, quickly cutting a piece and taking a bite. 

“What’s on your mind then?” Gladio asked, and Prompto sighed.  Ignis watched carefully from the other side of Noctis – they were sitting all together at the bar of the restaurant – while Noctis finally seemed to be awake enough to be aware something was off.

“The same thing we talked about last night,” Prompto said with a shrug, picking at his food again.

Gladiolus let out a loud sigh, before clapping Prompto on the shoulder.  “I thought I told you not to worry about that, kid,” he said gruffly.

“Worry about what?” Noctis asked curiously, and Prompto’s eyes widened before he quickly glanced away.

“Apparently, last night Prompto expressed concern that he was causing a war,” Ignis replied carefully, and Noctis frowned.  “Gladiolus assured him that tensions between Lucis and Niflheim have always been high and that it is not his fault, but it appears his fears have not been assuaged.”

“Because they keep coming for me!” Prompto interrupted, face twisted as he held back tears.  “This would never have happened…” he started.

“Prompto,” Noctis interrupted irritably, and Prompto immediately quieted in surprise.  Noctis leaned past Gladio in order to ensure Prompto could see him clearly.  “Niflheim is the one at fault.  Not.  You.”  Noctis looked annoyed, and Prompto furrowed his brows together, chewing in at his lower lip.  When Noctis noticed, he let out a small sigh before giving Prompto an encouraging smile.  “I’m not mad at you Prom.  I’m mad at them.  They’ve been trying to find an excuse to escalate things since before I was born,” he grimaced.  “So, I don’t want you blaming yourself for something they were going to do anyway.”

Prompto nodded, and he surprisingly looked a little better.  “Ok, Noct,” he said, giving Noctis a small smile which caused the prince to smile lightly in return. 

“Now, eat your breakfast.  I’m going to go call dad,” Noctis said, grabbing his phone and stepping away from the table. 

Gladiolus stood to go with him, grumbling that he said the same thing last night and Prompto didn’t listen to him, pausing only when Ignis gently grabbed his hand and gave it an encouraging squeeze.  Gladio turned to look at him, and Ignis smiled slightly, causing Gladio to sigh and smile back before heading over to stand guard while Noctis took his call.  Ignis, meanwhile, moved seats to sit next to the blond who was now happily attacking his delicious breakfast, engaging him in small talk between bites while Ignis sipped his coffee.

Noctis, meanwhile, had stepped out onto one of the many balcony areas on the pier that allowed people to overlook the water.  He pulled out his phone and immediately called his dad, hoping he’d pick up.  To his relief, Regis picked up immediately.  “How are you doing, my son?” he asked, his voice low and worry evident in his tone.

“I’m fine,” Noctis replied shortly.

“I heard you were attacked again before meeting up with the Marshal,” Regis replied quietly, and Noctis frowned.  His father was probably in a council meeting again.

“Yeah, but I used the armiger for the first time and took care of things,” Noctis replied casually.  He could almost hear his father’s grin on the other line, but Regis didn’t say anything other than a slight pleased hum.

“I am glad that you all were safe and that you managed to protect your friends,” Regis replied.  “I will have to talk later for I am in a council meeting discussing the attack from yesterday.”

Noctis let out an annoyed huff before hanging up.  He had wanted to get more information from his dad about what was going on, especially about Prompto.  He grumpily stepped back onto the main pier from the balcony, and Gladiolus asked curiously, “Did you manage to get King Regis?”

“Barely – he was in a meeting and wouldn’t talk long enough to tell me anything,” he sighed.  “It’s so frustrating.”

“In another two days we’ll be home and you can badger your dad about it all you want,” Gladiolus shrugged, and Noctis let out a sigh.

“I want to know though.  About him,” he admitted.  They were both looking over at the restaurant where the main chef Coctura was in the process of making Prompto an ulwaat berry crepe for dessert.  The blond boy was excitedly asking her questions as she cooked it in front of him, appearing amused by his enthusiasm.

Gladio gave Noctis an appraising look, before smiling to himself.  “Never seen you this interested in another person before,” he commented, and Noctis blushed before pouting and glancing away.  Gladio ruffled Noctis’s hair before saying, “Just enjoy your time with him.  How do you think he’ll react when he finally sees those lanterns?”

Noctis seemed to flush even darker as he tried to imagine it.  “…cute,” he muttered, and Gladio raised an eyebrow.

“Don’t think I quite caught that, princess,” he said, and Noctis let out a huff at the nickname.

“I said he’ll be cute,” he replied, arms crossed as he stalked off to rejoin Prompto and Ignis.  Gladio crossed his arms behind his head and grinned widely as he followed his prince.  Ignis was sipping at a fresh cup of coffee while Prompto tried a bite of the crepe, eyes wide in amazement.

“This is my new breakfast favorite!” he declared enthusiastically, and Coctura grinned proudly.

“I told you that you’d like it,” she replied.

“And green curry is my favorite dinner!” Prompto added, causing Ignis to nearly choke on his coffee.  He looked incredibly pleased and touched that Prompto would think of his feelings.

“Now now, you do not have to protect my feelings,” he commented as Noctis and Gladio rejoined them.

Prompto looked confused.  “What do you mean?  I was being honest,” he replied, and Ignis blushed slightly before looking away.  Gladio grinned widely at Ignis before slinging his arm around Prompto’s shoulder.

“You’ve got good taste, Prom,” he teased. 

“You’ll have to let me try this green curry of yours next time you’re in the area,” Coctura said, giving Ignis a friendly, competitive grin.

“I shall be sure to,” Ignis relied pleasantly, although his eyes met hers squarely as he spoke.

“I hate to interrupt,” Cor said, coming up behind them.  “But I’ve checked us out of the room and packed up the car already.”

Gladiolus looked impressed, but he knew not to expect anything less of the Marshal.  Cor tossed Ignis the keys to Noctis’s car before they said their goodbyes to Coctura and headed out.  Cor’s motorcycle was parked next to the Star of Lucis, which he would be using to lead the way to Hammerhead where they would be staying the night.  Insomnia would be a bit too far of a drive from Galdin Quay to reach before nightfall.  Cor put on his helmet and swung his leg over the seat of the motorcycle as the others climbed into Noctis’s car.  He immediately revved up the bike, and once Ignis looked ready in the car he took off.

While they travelled to Hammerhead, Prompto couldn’t help but take in the scenery which was far different than Cleigne.  Once they got far enough away from the ocean, the rest of Leide was a desert area with a very hot and dry climate that he was not used to in anyway.  Prompto kept snapping pictures and asking questions about why there were no trees and what caused it to be rocky and sandy here.  The other three were far less interested in the scenery since they had been in Leide before and knew there wasn’t really much there to look at.  However, Ignis patiently answered Prompto’s questions about the geography and about the small settlements they passed along the way.  A lot of people would irrigate a small section of land to live on, preferring to stay in Leide since it was so close to Insomnia; if something happened, it would be easier for them to flee to the city for shelter.

They arrived at Hammerhead in the late afternoon, a small town whose main feature was the garage run by Cid Sophair, an old friend of Regis, and his granddaughter Cindy Aurum.  Cid hadn’t really been back to Insomnia since Regis had been crowned king, since he was practically married to his garage and had to raise his granddaughter after her parents were killed by daemons when travelling at night.  Regis and Clarus had taken Noctis and Gladio to see the garage several times during breaks, and they had both grown up seeing the beautiful, hardworking young woman as a cousin due to how close their families were.  “I can’t wait to see Cid talk to Cor,” Noctis replied.  “Dad says he still treats Cor like a kid and that it’s hilarious.”

Gladio also looked excited at the prospect, while Ignis rolled his eyes.  Prompto, meanwhile, looked in interest at all the different cars sitting around the garage, for he had never seen anything like it before.  As they got out of the car, they were met by Cindy, a blond woman with curly hair and green eyes who was covered in grease from working on one of the cars.  She didn’t seem to care, though, and she gave them a friendly wave.  “I’m glad to see y’all are alright,” she greeted, giving Noctis a slight hug and shaking Ignis and Gladio’s hands.  “And who might this cutie be?”

Prompto immediately blushed at the comment and shied into himself.  Gladio laughed, while Noctis looked a bit put off, slightly shoving Prompto forward.  “This is my friend, Prompto.  Prompto – this is Cindy.  Her grandfather is friends with my dad.”

“I think Paw Paw would keel over if he heard you call him that,” Cindy joked, before looking at Prompto with a twinkle in her eye.  “Shy little thing, ain’t ya?” she asked.  “I saw you looking at some of my precious babies out here though – want me to show you around?”

Prompto nodded enthusiastically, and Cindy grinned before taking the young man through the garage so she could show him some of the cars and the equipment they used to work on it.  Noctis pouted as he walked off, while Gladio snickered.  “You wouldn’t be jealous, would you, Noct?” Ignis asked lightly, and Noctis rolled his eyes.

Just then, Cid managed to make his way out, a much older man whose hair and beard had already turned white and whose face had light wrinkles.  He immediately called Cor a boy and asked him if he’d been staying out of trouble.  Cor looked slightly annoyed while Gladio and Noctis both snickered and even Ignis had to hide a grin.  Cor then replied by gruffly saying Cid looked even more like an old man, causing Cid to chuckle before leading him into Takka’s diner so they could share a cold beer and catch up.  The other three, meanwhile, decided to find Cindy and Prompto and see how they were doing.

They found Cindy standing over one of the cars that had been lifted up for easy access to the undercarriage, with Prompto half disappeared under it.  Cindy was talking Prompto through how to do a simple repair, looking excited as he worked.  “Your new pal is a real natural!” she greeted as they walked up.  “I wouldn’t take any of y’all city boys as having any mechanical sense.”

“Prompto’s not exactly from the city,” Noctis replied, and Cindy tilted her head slightly. 

“How’d y’all meet then?  I know y’all haven’t been outside Leide before this road trip of yours,” she replied.

“It’s a long story,” Noctis shrugged.  Prompto slid himself out from under the car before beaming at Noctis.

“Cindy taught me how to fix a car!” he said excitedly, standing up and grabbing Noctis’s arm.  “It’s so much cooler seeing it in person instead of in a book!”  Prompto’s face was close to Noctis’s, allowing Noctis a close view of the freckles that dusted it and of the different shades of blue and slight purple in his eyes.  He blushed but didn’t pull back.

“Oh?  Why don’t you tell me about it?” he grinned, leading Prompto out of the garage and toward the RV they had rented for the night.  As they headed off, Cindy chuckled.

“Does his royal highness have his first puppy crush?” she asked.

“I do believe so,” Ignis replied.  “He seemed rather put out when you spirited Prompto away earlier.”

“I couldn’t help myself.  He was so adorable lookin’ all shy and flustered,” Cindy grinned.  Her gaze trained on the two boys as they left, walking closely together with an aura of familiarity about them. For two people who had only met recently, they were already very cozy.  “They certainly make for a fetching pair though, don’t they?” she pondered.

“Make sure you tell the princess that next time,” Gladio grinned, and Ignis shook his head.

“I am sure we were interrupting your work,” Ignis said, and Cindy shrugged.

“Ain’t a problem.  Not every day y’all come to see us,” she shrugged.  “I do have to get back to work though.  See y’all at dinner?”

Gladio and Ignis waved before heading to the RV to keep an eye on the two younger men.  They spent the rest of the afternoon chatting and playing cards, Cor eventually meeting up with them when Cid also had to return to work.  He sat quietly nearby, watching them with fond amusement as they joked and bickered with each other, remembering a time when he once did the same with Cid, Regis, Clarus, and another friend of theirs named Weskham.  That was back when Regis was still a prince himself.  Cor let out a sigh, for while things had seemed dark back then, they were much worse now with possible war on the horizon.

“Are you boys ready to go eat?” Cor asked, and Gladio and Noctis both laughed at the mention of boy, remembering Cid earlier.  Cor raised an eyebrow but chose to ignore them.

“Yeah, I’m starved!” Prompto said excitedly, quickly standing up.  He heard they were eating at Takka’s Pit Stop and was ready to try new food again.

“If we must,” Ignis replied, looking a pit put off at having to eat diner food again.  At least Takka’s was of better quality than the Crow’s Nest chain.

They all headed inside, greeting Takka and joining Cid and Cindy who were already waiting for them at a booth.  Cid, Cor, and Ignis ended up at one booth while Cindy, Gladio, Prompto, and Noctis sat at the other.  Prompto and Noctis sat next to each other, and both of them seemed slightly flustered at the proximity, which caught Gladio and Cindy’s attention.  “Maybe there’ll be a little romance after all,” Cindy whispered to Gladio who grinned.

Takka was happy to make them anything they wanted, as long as he had the ingredients for it, but everyone but Prompto already had favorite dishes from the menu they wanted to eat.  Cor and Cid both got the chili con carne, while Cindy and Noctis got the Hammerhead hot sandwich.  Gladio got the sizzling humongo-steak, while Ignis and Prompto both got the Leiden jambalaya after Ignis explained it was spicy; he was starting to realize Prompto had an affinity for it.  After eating their delicious dinner, made even better by their lively conversation, they soon split so Cindy and Cid could rest after a long day of work and the rest could also try to rest since they would be getting up early in the morning to head out.

“I can’t believe tomorrow you’ll finally get to see Insomnia!” Noctis said excitedly to Prompto as they got ready for bed.  They would both be squeezing onto one of the small beds in the RV with Ignis taking the other and Gladio crashing on the couch.  Cor would be sleeping on the table which could be converted into a bed.  While Ignis and Gladiolus preferred to share a bed, there was just no way for the two of them to fit in the RV.  “You’re going to love it – I just know it!”

Prompto smiled in reply, but when Noctis turned away to wash his face, his smile immediately dropped.  While he was definitely excited to see the city that Noctis loved so much, and to finally see the lanterns that had been his dream all of these years, he couldn’t help but feel nervous.  What if it wasn’t as magical as what he imagined?  Also, with the threat of war looming, his last words with his father, and a general sense of unease he was feeling, he couldn’t help but feel worried.  Somehow, the thought of actually being in Insomnia now that they were so close made everything feel too real, and he could feel anxiety bubbling up inside.  For now, he had to really consider, what was next?  After he saw the lanterns, what would he do?  Return home?  What would happen to his new friendships?  And what would happen when he saw his father again?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well I was not expecting it to take so long to write this chapter. I had actually started over a week ago, planning to meet my once a week timeline, and then had trouble writing so it took a bit longer >.< We're moving into the end game though so things are going to start moving quicker now :)


	14. Enlightenment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Chocobros make it to Insomnia and finally have some questions answered about their journey.

They got up early the next morning, eating a hardy breakfast at Takka’s before hitting the road.  They said their goodbyes to Cid and Cindy who were already hard at work by the time they were leaving, and then piled into the Star of Lucis one last time.  Ignis and Gladiolus looked happy that they would finally be back in Insomnia again; Ignis would get a break from these long drives and Gladio would get to see his sister and father.  Noctis looked incredibly excited and was wide awake and chatting for a change, since he couldn’t wait to show off his city to his new friend.  And Prompto was trying his best to hide how incredibly nervous he was.  His anxiety kept creeping through his veins, causing him to want to curl up into himself like he would if he were in the tower, but he didn’t want the others to notice and instead tried his best to match Noctis’s enthusiasm. 

They had just passed through the checkpoint, driving through with ease once the Kingsglaive realized it was Ignis at the wheel and recognized the one of a kind car, when Noctis excitedly asked Ignis to pull over.  Gladio and Ignis exchanged grins, having a hunch as to what their prince’s plan was, while Prompto looked confused.  “What’s going on?” he asked as Ignis stopped the car and Gladio phoned Cor to let him know what was going on.  Ahead of them, Cor slowed to a stop before resting on his bike and obviously making another phone call to Clarus or the King to let them know of the slight delay.  Prompto knew they were close to Insomnia now and figured they wouldn’t stop for anything, so he wasn’t sure why they were halting suddenly.

“I’ve got something to show you,” Noctis said, handing Prompto his phone for pictures before everyone piled out of the car.  “Do you trust me?” Noctis asked, pulling out a piece of dark cloth from the armiger to use as a blindfold on Prompto.

Prompto looked at it curiously before looking up to match Noctis’s excited blue gaze.  As it usually was when he looked at Prompto, Noctis’s face was warm and friendly and his eyes were open and honest.  Prompto smiled warmly before saying, “Of course, dude.”  He was slowly starting to adopt their casual way of speaking, which Noctis was pretty proud about.

“Alright, I’m going to cover your eyes with this,” Noctis said, “and then I’m going to help you carefully walk because there’s something I want you to see, but I want it to be a surprise.  That cool?”

Prompto nodded in agreement, some of his earlier anxiety melting away under Noctis’s enthusiasm.  “You got it buddy,” he said, closing his eyes as Noctis came up behind him to tie the blindfold around his head.  Prompto felt his heart pound at their proximity, and he found with his eyes closed he was even more overwhelmed by the smell of Noctis’s shampoo and cologne after his shower this morning and by the light sound of his breath close to his ear.  He was sure that his cheeks were currently bright red and wondered what Ignis and Gladio were thinking at the moment.  After Noctis finished tying up the blindfold and ensured Prompto couldn’t see anything, he carefully led Prompto forward into the grass and onto a slight incline. 

Prompto could tell that Gladio and Ignis were following them as well, and that Ignis seemed to be walking rather close in case he needed to help if Prompto stumbled.  Cor appeared to have stayed back with the vehicles, giving them their space for the time being.  Noctis was very careful and gentle, however, and Prompto was surprised to find he didn’t miss a step once and made his way easily to wherever Noctis wanted to take them before they finally halted.  It felt strange walking around without seeing anything, but Prompto felt safe with Noctis’s arm around his shoulder and his steady presence as he helped him walk.  ‘If only we could stay like this for awhile,’ Prompto thought to himself.  “Are we there?” he asked curiously instead, and next to him he felt Noctis shift until he had one hand on the blindfold.

“Close your eyes, Prom,” Noctis said, voice close to Prompto’s ear again and causing a shiver to run up his spine.  Prompto was starting to like the surprisingly low timbre of Noctis’s voice, especially whenever he got to hear it up close.

“They’re closed,” he replied, his voice slightly breathy.

He could tell that Noctis was probably grinning as he slid the blindfold off.  “Alright, you can open them now,” he said, before stepping back.  Prompto opened his eyes and immediately sucked in his breath.  Sprawled out in front of him was the city of Insomnia, a large, glistening city that put Lestallum to shame with its sheer size.  They were on a large cliff that overlooked the bridge leading to Insomnia, for the city was built on a rocky terrain surrounded by water.  Between the glass covered buildings in the sprawling city and the sunlight reflecting on the water surrounding it, Prompto had to squint his eyes to see the breathtaking view.  And at the center of it all, rising up higher than any of the other skyscrapers, was the Citadel, a massive structure with twin towers that rose above the rest of the city.  Prompto stared in silent awe for several moments, before remembering Noctis’s phone and scrambling to take a few photos.  He couldn’t even begin to imagine how to describe such a sight in his journal.

“This is where you guys live?” he asked, finally turning around.  Ignis and Gladiolus were standing comfortably, both giving him similar, warm expressions, clearly touched by his reaction to seeing their home.  Noctis, meanwhile, met Prompto’s gaze with eyes that seemed darker than usual and that contained a certain intensity that the blond wasn’t expecting.  He felt his breath catch in his throat, and his indigo eyes immediately mirrored the prince’s as he stared back in wonder. 

Noctis immediately flushed and looked away, before saying softly, “So, do you like it?”

When he turned to face Prompto again, he had carefully put his normal, almost bored looking expression back in place, although it had a slightly hopeful look as he waited for Prompto’s reply.  Prompto blinked in surprise for a moment, trying to calm his rapidly beating heart.  “I do!” he said, his wide smile adorning his face.  “It’s amazing!  I could have never pictured anything like this!”

Gladiolus and Ignis both grinned, before Gladio replied, “Just wait until we drive through it.  You’re going to lose your mind, I promise.”

“Gladio,” Ignis said with a sigh, and the taller man chuckled while Prompto looked truly bubbly and happy for the first time since the chocobos.  He and Noctis talked excitedly as they rushed back to the car, Prompto brimming with questions again and a proud grin gracing the prince’s face.  Cor was still waiting patiently on his bike, and once he saw them approaching he prepared to head out again.  Once they were settled into the car, Ignis drove toward the city behind Cor’s motorcycle, eventually taking them over the bridge before finally making it into the city streets. 

Prompto stared up in amazement at the tall buildings that towered overhead, for everything in Insomnia was much higher than it had been in Lestallum.  He snapped pictures while Noctis and Gladio pointed out some of the places they had been to such as coffee shops, restaurants, and stores.  Ignis listened to the enthusiastic conversation with a small smile, touched at how Prompto rounded out the group and really put everyone at ease.  He was sad at the idea that they may have to lose the cheerful boy soon, especially considering the impact it may have on the prince who had shown more enthusiasm on the trip than he had in years.

Eventually, they finally arrived at the gate for the Citadel, and upon seeing the Marshal, the Crownsguard at the gate immediately let them in.  They drove up to the front steps, Prompto craning his head to try to look up out the window at the structure and unable to see the top from the inside of the car – it was just too tall.  Waiting for them outside was King Regis, Clarus his Shield, Lady Lunafreya the Oracle and Princess of Tenebrae, and her two dogs Umbra and Pryna.  Pryna was all white but of the same breed as Umbra and both were waiting patiently next to their owner.  “They’re so cute,” Prompto said under his breath, and Noctis grinned. 

“They’ll be excited to meet you,” he smiled as the car came to a stop.  They all scrambled out of the car, glad to finally be out, while Ignis handed Noctis’s keys to one of the Crownsguard to park.  Cor, meanwhile, bowed to his King before heading past the group on the stairs so he could write up a report and see how things had been going in his absence. 

Regis, meanwhile, broke into a wide grin.  Prompto noticed that the man was holding a cane and looked a little tired and older than he should look based on his age, but he had overheard Ignis and Gladiolus talking about the strain that the Ring of Lucii placed on the Lucis Caelums and had a feeling that had something to do with it.  “Welcome home, my son,” he said, as Noctis and the others climbed the stairs to meet them.  Lunafreya, a serene, beautiful woman with natural platinum blond hair and blue eyes and a regal stance, was also smiling at them.

“I am glad you managed to make it safely,” she said, exchanging a quick hug with Noctis.  They were both childhood friends and since they had similar pressures, Noctis for the throne and Luna as the Oracle, they had always gotten along well.  “And you must be Prompto,” Luna said, turning her pleasant smile onto Prompto who blushed lightly.

“Pleasure t-to make your acquaintance, ah…” Prompto stammered immediately, turning to Noctis for help who merely grinned at his struggle.

“You can just call me Luna,” Lunafreya said, her eyes crinkling slightly with her more genuine smile.  It was obvious she thought Prompto was adorable.  “No need for pleasantries.”

“But you’re the Oracle!” Prompto said in amazement, and Luna laughed.

“Yes, but here I am Noctis’s friend and hope to become yours as well,” she said, her eyes twinkling in delight.  Clarus and Regis watched their exchange in amusement, while Noctis, Gladio, and Ignis were happy that Prompto appeared to be fitting right in.

Prompto glanced at Clarus and noticed that while Noctis looked a lot like his dad, Gladio didn’t look very much like his father.  He knew from biology that kids would take on characteristics from their parents, and he figured Gladio must look more like his mother.  “Where’s Iris?” Gladio asked Clarus.  “I expected she would have been here too, excited to see Noct.”

Noctis looked a bit flustered at that comment, for Iris had a bit of a crush on him as a kid and he never knew how to take it.  “Iris is at school,” Clarus replied.  “She begged me to let her skip but I reminded her she would see you all at the party.”

Gladiolus looked a little sad at that, for he loved his younger sister, but he understood.  Their father wanted to instill value in them about work, especially because of the duties of their family line, and the Amicitia always took every job seriously.  “While I wish we could stand here and chat for a bit longer, I know that my son has some things he wishes to discuss with me,” Regis said, catching everyone’s attention.  “Why don’t we retire to the council room?” 

Everyone nodded and headed inside, Prompto staring in amazement at the tall ceilings and ornate marble design as they went.  He was too afraid to take pictures in here, even though it was on Noctis’s phone in his own home.  Pryna walked next to Luna as they walked while Umbra walked next to Noctis who patted him fondly on the head.  Because Umbra tended to be the main one bringing communications between Luna and Noctis, he was almost as much Noctis’s dog as Lunafreya’s at this point.  Once everyone settled in the council room, complete with ornate marble walls, black tiled floors, and black tapestries of silky cloth lined with gold, Regis folded his hands in front of him and began to speak. 

“I am well aware that the four of you have a lot of questions for me,” he began, looking at each of the traveling companions in turn, stopping last at Prompto to give him a thoughtful gaze.  He then turned his attention back to his son, who looked a little sulky now that he was finally going to have his questions answered.  “However, I ask for you to wait to let me explain things first.  More than likely I will answer any questions you have as I go.  Is that alright with everyone?”  Gladio, Ignis, and Prompto nodded, while Noctis folded his arms and leveled his father with a steady stare.  He didn’t say anything, however, so Regis took it as a cue to continue.

“I am about to reveal something to you all that I have not revealed to anyone but Sylvia Nox Fleuret and young Lunafreya once she began to take over her mother’s duties as Oracle,” Regis explained.  Clarus gave him a sharp look but didn’t say anything while Noctis, Gladiolus, and Ignis watched him carefully.  All three of them had a feeling it had something to do with Noctis’s special title – the whole reason for the lantern ceremony – but had no idea what it could actually be.

“When my son was born, I had a vision from my father, who had already passed, and other kings of old.  They told me Noctis was meant to be the King of Light who would banish the starscourge and daemons from Eos.  However, in order to do so, he must give his own life.”  Prompto and Ignis immediately gasped, turning to stare at Noctis who gaped at his father with wide eyes.  Gladiolus clenched his fists on the table, looking like he wanted to stand up angrily and trying his best to keep his temper cooled.  Clarus also looked surprised, for Regis had never told him what all he had seen that night in his vision.  Lunafreya merely looked down, listening quietly with her hands folded in her lap.

“I begged them if there was anyway to save my son,” Regis said.  “I could not imagine losing my boy in such a way.  And after some deliberation, my father told me something.  There were rumors that there would soon be born a child with the ability to heal.  And if that were the case, that child may be a chance to save my son.”  Regis looked directly at Prompto as he spoke, who cowered slightly under his intense gaze, breath caught in his throat.  This was a lot of information to take in, and Prompto didn’t know how to process it.

“I was overjoyed, and if you remember Clarus, I immediately created a research team to look into that very possibility.  We eventually heard rumors of a program out of Niflheim that had possible success, rumors that tied to an adopted Prince that had recently been announced, but not long after the announcement the child disappeared.  We looked everywhere for this boy, as did Niflheim, but no one was able to find any information about the lost child.  I began to despair thinking that any chance of saving my son had been lost,” he explained, a heavy look in his eyes.  Noctis was watching his father silently, hands clenched tightly on the arms of the wooden seat he was sitting in.

Regis glanced at him before looking away, obviously having a hard time sharing his burden with the others.  “Then, young Lunafreya became Oracle and began aiding the search, assisted by her clever messengers.”  Regis smiled fondly at Umbra and Pryna, who almost looked proud.  Umbra was lying under Noctis’s chair while Pryna was sitting up in-between Luna and Prompto.  Prompto began petting her head for comfort, hoping it would steady his nerves. 

“Not too long ago, Umbra here discovered a tower in the woods and spotted an unknown boy in the window.  He noticed a magical barrier around the property that would normally keep him out – in fact, he could not use his magic to appear there and had to pop up outside of the barrier in order to get in.  I take it wasn’t long after that he brought Noctis to meet you,” Regis replied calmly.  “I hoped you would both become friends which is why I encouraged the road trip afterward.  Noctis deserved a break before he comes of age, and to be honest I wished that if you became friends naturally, you would be more inclined to help my son.  I know it sounds disingenuous,” he continued, looking Prompto directly in the eyes, “but please believe me when I say that as a father, I just want what’s best for my son.  And I am so glad that you both seem to get along well.”

Prompto didn’t know what to think, and he sat in stunned silence.  Noctis, meanwhile, angrily asked, “Why didn’t you tell me?” while standing up and slamming his hands against the table.  Prompto flinched, startled at the outburst, while the others turned to look at their prince.

“Noct,” Ignis said gently, stopping when Regis shook his head at him.

“I wanted you to grow up with as normal a life as possible,” he explained looking at Noctis directly.  “I didn’t want you to have that prophecy looming over your head until you were ready to take on the burden.  And above all else I wanted to save you from it.”

Noctis stared his father in the eyes, flashing blue meeting calm, before he pushed his chair back and stormed out of the room.  Ignis and Gladiolus exchanged glances before Gladio hurried after him, leaving Ignis behind.  Prompto’s head was reeling with all of this information, and he began to look a bit pale.  Ignis noticed, and he turned to face Regis and Clarus.  “I beg your pardon, your highness, but I believe it would be wise for me to see our guest to his room,” Ignis said calmly.

“Thank you, Ignis.  As always, I appreciate your judgment,” Regis replied, before turning to Prompto.  “Prompto Argentum, is it not?” he asked gently, and Prompto looked up to face him.  “I know I may have my own reasons for wishing for your friendship with my son.  But, my son’s feelings are genuine. He does not have many friends, so I want to thank you for befriending him.”  Regis gave Prompto a warm smile, tinged slightly with fatigue and sadness after his son’s outburst, before he stood up, Clarus immediately following suite. 

Prompto couldn’t help but feel his heart ache slightly for the king, because he could tell how much he loved his son and how much his fate had been a burden on him.  However, his insides were still twisting upon learning that just as his father had warned, the King of Lucis did wish to use his abilities, even if it was for a noble reason.  Regis and Clarus headed out the door, for there were preparations to be made for Noctis’s party that night, and Lunafreya soon followed after squeezing Prompto’s arm in a friendly way and heading to the room she would be staying in, her dogs trailing behind her. 

Once they were alone in the room, Ignis asked quietly, “Are you alright?”

Prompto shook his head truthfully, before saying softly, “It’s a lot to take in.  Sorry, Iggy.”

Ignis placed a comforting hand on Prompto’s shoulder.  “It is quite alright.  I believe all of us are quite shocked, including Noct.  I am sorry he stormed out like that…”

Prompto shook his head.  “No, I understand.  That would have been hard for anyone to hear,” he replied.  “I…” he trailed of.

“Let us get you to your room,” Ignis replied.  “I know where they will set you up during your stay here.  Perhaps if you have some time to think it through it will help.”

“I would like that.  Thanks, Iggy,” Prompto replied, giving Ignis a small, grateful smile.  They then headed down the maze of hallways, Prompto too lost in thought over what he had learned to pay much attention like he had when they first arrived, until they appeared at a very spacious, comfortable looking room for Prompto to stay in.  This finally caught his attention and he stared at it for several minutes in shock.  “Iggy, this room is bigger than the top floor of my tower,” he said, and Ignis looked a little sad at his comment.

“Indeed,” he replied gently.  “I am going to go check on Noct but will be back soon with some lunch and some preparations for tonight’s party.  Will you be alright?”

Prompto nodded, giving Ignis a small wave as he gently closed the door behind him as he left.  Prompto then looked around the room, uncomfortable by being in an unknown place by himself.  Up until now, he had one of the other three with him and had been so excited at the new experiences that he didn’t really have a chance to feel homesick or out of place.  Now?  Prompto ignored the overly large bed and moved over to one of the many chairs in the room, curling up on it before resting his head against his knees.  He wanted to go home.


	15. The Floating Lights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompto finally gets to experience his dream~

When Ignis returned about an hour later carrying a tray of food, he found Prompto sitting at the window staring out at the garden below.  Noctis had planned in advance for Prompto to get the room specifically for its beautiful view.  It was set up with a window seat covered in pillows, and Prompto was sitting hunched on it with his arms around his knees, head resting on top as he gazed solemnly out at the garden.  He hadn’t seemed to have heard Ignis knock since he was so deep in thought.  Ignis set the tray on a small table set up in the room before clearing his throat which finally caught the blond’s attention.

“Sorry Iggy, didn’t hear you come in,” Prompto said, rubbing at his face and attempting to look cheerful.

“No worries,” Ignis replied before sitting gracefully in one of the chairs adjoining the table.  He motioned for Prompto to join him and the young man stretched before making his way over.  “Unfortunately, I did not have time to prepare something myself, but I can attest to the quality of the Citadel’s kitchen,” Ignis commented as he lifted the lid on the elegant silver tray revealing a set up for afternoon tea.  There were delicate looking sandwiches, small cakes, and scones along with a steaming pot of tea and two cups.  “Mind if I join you?”

“I’d like that,” Prompto said gratefully, giving Ignis a small grin.  He had felt lonely during that hour by himself; it felt too much like the days he spent in his tower hoping his father would come home for some companionship.  They had a pleasant conversation during tea, and it was obvious Ignis was trying to cheer him up after their meeting with the King earlier.  Prompto appreciated it, but he was also worried about something and brought it up during a lull in the conversation.  “How’s Noct doing?” he asked curiously.

“Ah, he has calmed down significantly,” Ignis replied.  “He and Gladiolus went to the Crownsguard training hall to work out his frustration.  He felt awful when he realized the position he had left you in. I had to assure him several times that you were well.”  Ignis watched Prompto carefully as he said that, and Prompto could tell by his piercing gaze he was trying to determine if Prompto was in fact doing well.

Prompto looked drained after the conversation earlier and his time alone, but he did seem pleased Noctis was doing better.  “I’m glad,” he said softly, clasping his hands in his lap and looking down.  They had both finished their tea and there was a sudden knock on the door that surprised him.

“Ah, right on time,” Ignis said, standing up and carefully arranging everything back on the tray.

“For what?” Prompto asked curiously.

Ignis merely grinned before opening the door, stepping aside as one of the staff of the Citadel stepped in pushing a rack full of suits.  Another one came up behind him carrying two boxes that he set down on the table before taking the tray from Ignis.  They then both bowed slightly before heading back out of the room and gently shutting the door.  Prompto looked at the suits curiously, for he had seen Ardyn wear one occasionally but had never once worn something like that before.  There was no reason to dress up when you’re stuck in a tower your whole life.  “We are going to get you ready for tonight’s event. You are the guest of honor, after all,” Ignis said, a sharp glint in his eye.  He looked excited and it made Prompto feel slightly intimidated.  “Unfortunately, there is not time to tailor a suit to your exact frame, but I am sure we can find one that fits well enough.  And we will definitely do something about that unfortunate cut of yours as well.” 

Ignis adjusted his glasses on his face before turning to look at the rows of suits with a critical eye.  After several moments he pulled several of them off and tossed them on the bed for Prompto to try on.  At first, Prompto needed a lot of help for the different layers and buttons, but after trying on several he finally started to get the hang of it.  Finally, about five or six different suits, Ignis straightened and gave an appraising eye upon the most recent attempt.  Prompto had on a simple, but form fitting black suit with a dapper black vest, white undershirt, and black tie with small gold chocobos as a repeating design on it.  From a distance someone wouldn’t be able to tell what they were so they both fit Prompto’s personality while still being tasteful for the event.  “I do believe we have found the suit,” Ignis said cheerfully, but when Prompto tried to turn to look at himself in the floor-length mirror set up in the room he tutted before turning him back around.

“Not until I’ve fixed up your hair,” Ignis chastised before opening up both containers and revealing different combs, scissors, and hair products that he could use to both cut and style Prompto’s hair.  “Now you must stay still and follow my directions to ensure I trim to my exact specifications.  I have an idea in mind that I do believe you will like,” Ignis smiled at him, and Prompto fidgeted slightly in his chair.  This was going to be a difficult task, but he didn’t want to annoy the man who was only trying to help.

After about an hour where Ignis had cut and trimmed Prompto’s hair, given him a shampoo and blow-dry, and then took most of the time styling it, he was finally ready to allow Prompto to step in front of the mirror.  He had the young man close his eyes as he did so, in order to allow him to open them and get the full effect.  When Prompto finally met his reflection, he gasped in surprise because he almost didn’t recognize the person staring back at him.  While the outfits Noctis had been letting him borrow fit pretty well, Noctis was slightly larger and broader than Prompto was so his clothes hung a little looser on his frame.  And everything he had worn in the tower had been ill-fitting and well-worn.  This though.  This actually _fit_ him.  He actually looked _good_.  And then his hair.  Prompto reached up to touch the top of his hair until Ignis brushed his hands away, warning him that he could mess it up, and a wide smile spread across his face.  His hair which had been messy and uneven from attempting to keep it at a manageable length had been cut asymmetrically with the left side swooping up at the top and falling into a long bang that framed his face.  Ignis had obviously modeled his hair after chocobo feathers, and Prompto thought it looked pretty amazing. 

He turned his head from side to side to get the full effect before turning and throwing his arms around the startled, but pleased, Ignis.  “Thank you so much!  I look amazing,” Prompto squeaked, and Ignis smiled softly.

“You do indeed.  I am glad you like it,” he said fondly.  “Now let’s go show the prince and, daresay, take his breath away?”

Prompto didn’t quite understand what he meant, but he did want to see Noctis.  “Yeah!” he said excitedly, and Ignis chuckled before leading Prompto out of the room and to the prince’s chambers.  They could hear Gladio and Noctis talking on the other side of the door, and Ignis knocked before announcing their arrival.

“You know the door’s unlocked,” Noctis called lazily, and Ignis turned to look at Prompto. 

“Stand behind me so we can surprise Noct,” he said quietly, and Prompto nodded, a grin on his face.  Once Prompto was mostly hidden behind Ignis, he swung the door open.

“May I announce the guest of honor for your birthday celebration, Prompto Argentum,” he said formally, before stepping aside to reveal the blond.  Gladio whistled in appreciation while Noctis stared at him in surprise.  His cheeks immediately looked flushed and he took in a sharp breath, while Prompto nervously rubbed the back of his hair, causing Ignis to sigh and swat his hand away again.

“Um, how do I look?” Prompto asked nervously, stepping into the room and shutting the door behind him.

“You look hot,” Gladio grinned.  “Iggy did a great job.”

Ignis smiled proudly, while Noctis continued to stare in mute appreciation.  “Your highness,” Ignis needled, causing Noctis to snap out of it.  He hated when Ignis referred to him formally.

“You look amazing, Prom,” Noctis said, stepping forward to get a closer look.  “Like, hella good.”  Gladio snickered at that comment while Ignis rolled his eyes.

“You look good too,” Prompto said, admiring him in return.  Noctis blushed even more at the compliment, covering his mouth with his hand so Gladio and Ignis couldn’t see him smile.  They both noticed, however, and Gladio gave him a wide grin while Ignis looked pretty pleased as well.  Noctis was wearing his traditional crown prince outfit which was a black suit with a black cloak embellished with gold accessories – the official colors of Lucian royalty.  This birthday was his official coming of age ceremony so he had to look his best.  He also always dressed up more formally for the lighting of the lanterns ceremony; his father would be dressed in his full regalia as well.

Gladio was already dressed in a black suit with his family crest stitched on the back and a bowtie, and he had his hair more tamed and slicked back for the ceremony.  Ignis excused himself to step into the main bedroom so he could change into his own suit.  His consisted of a black jacket and slacks, gray striped vest, white undershirt, and black ascot.  Now that Prompto was no longer distracted by the crown prince, he looked around to take in his room, surprised to realize they were actually in Noctis’s sitting room which was already larger than the guest room Prompto was staying in. He caught a glimpse of Noctis’s actual bedroom and the giant, soft looking bed that took up the middle of it when Ignis stepped back inside.  “Wow,” he said softly, and Noctis watching him curiously.

“Is that a good wow or a bad wow?” he asked nervously, and Prompto smiled at him.

“A good wow.  I’m glad you grew up in such an amazing place,” he said.

Noctis shrugged.  “I definitely have more space, but in some ways this place is kind of my own tower,” he admitted.  “But, yeah, I’m sure for what you’re used to, this is a lot.”  He then looked down awkwardly before turning back to Prompto.  “I’m sorry.  For earlier.  Leaving you by yourself.  I…”

Prompto shook his head.  “It’s alright.  You were upset.  I was upset for you, to be honest.  It was…a lot.”

Noctis nodded.  “I swear, Prom, I didn’t know any of that.  When I came to meet you that day and then came back because I just didn’t want to leave you alone – that was all real.”  His eyes met Prompto’s desperately, and Prompto met them straightforwardly.

“I know.  I could tell,” Prompto smiled sadly.  “And out of everything, no matter what, I’m glad we met and became friends.”

Noctis sighed in relief, before grinning at him.  “So, are you ready to fulfill your dream?” he asked, a sweet grin on his face.

“You bet I am!” Prompto smiled widely, and they both bumped wrists against each other.  Gladiolus and Ignis watched the exchange from behind them, Gladio with an arm around Ignis’s shoulders.

“That went better than I anticipated,” Ignis murmured to Gladio.

“Yeah, I can tell the kid’s upset about it,” Gladio agreed.  “It’s good that he’s not upset at Noct though.”

Ignis nodded, and they followed the other two out of Noctis’s room and down the hall.  They would be meeting Regis in front of the main balcony of the citadel where they held the ceremony every year.  Outside it was growing dark, and it would soon be the right time to begin lighting the lanterns.  They met up with Regis and Clarus, and the king looked apologetically at his son who still looked pretty miffed at him.  Noctis remained civil, however, and stepped up to give his dad a hug.  “I still love you dad.  But I wish you hadn’t kept this from me,” he said firmly, and Regis just silently held his son for a moment.  Prompto watched the exchange with a longing expression, noticing also how Gladiolus and Clarus exchanged a quick handshake and quiet word with each other.  He began to realize he didn’t have that sort of closeness with Ardyn and didn’t really know much about a normal father and son dynamic.  His thoughts were interrupted, however, by the start of the ceremony.

They all stepped outside, Noctis and Regis at the front where a lantern was sitting and waiting for them to light.  There was a massive crowd outside, and Prompto’s eyes widened as he saw more people suddenly than he had ever seen in his life.  This made crowded Lestallum feel like a small village.  In the front in a roped off area were special guests – Prompto spotted Lunafreya and her two dogs along with a white haired man who looked like he’d rather be anywhere else but there.  Prompto assumed that was probably Ravus Nox Fleuret, the crown prince of Tenebrea and Lunafreya’s older brother.  Next to them was a young girl with brown hair and eyes that looked exactly like Gladiolus’s who was smiling widely at them and waving.  Both Gladio and Clarus waved back, and Prompto figured that must have been Gladio’s sister Iris that he spoke so fondly of.  She was definitely cute and seemed nice, so Prompto could understand why.  Lunafreya caught his eye and also gave a small wave, and Prompto shyly waved back at her in reply.

Then, the crowd which had begun cheering when they walked out, quieted down so Regis could begin his speech.  The lighting ceremony was always televised so the whole country could light their lanterns in unison, so he looked directly into the closest camera as he started.  He went over what it meant for Noctis to come of age, his expectations for his son, and how Noctis always made him proud.  He told a few funny stories about the prince growing up which made him flush, before he stood aside for Noctis to begin his part of the ceremony.  As Noctis addressed his people, Prompto stared in a daze, his heartbeat erratic.  He had seen this side of Noctis briefly when he had stood up to Aranea, but it was different seeing it in front of a massive crowd of people.  Noctis really was a prince, next in line to be king, and although he could be lazy or bored in private, he carried the burden proudly in front of his people and stood tall in front of them.  In this moment, Noctis looked even more handsome than usual, regal even, and it took Prompto’s breath away.  Thus, he almost missed the end of the speech, daze interrupted only by the prince who turned to look at him with a quick wink that brought a blush to his face.  He and his father then lifted up the lantern while Noctis lit it, and they gently gave it a light toss so it could begin floating into the sky.

Prompto stared at the floating lantern in amazement, heart thumping as he realized that he was finally here.  Finally living his dream.  Soon, lanterns began to light up in the crowd, and all around the city people began launching them.  The streetlights and city buildings had all been dimmed once the ceremony started, and now everything was lit up by the lanterns casting a warm orange glow all along the streets.  Prompto watched in quiet wonder as hundreds of thousands of lanterns circled in the air around them, barely registering when Noctis stepped back next to him, quietly taking his hand and lightly interlacing their fingers.  Prompto turned to glance at him, and noticed that Noctis was gazing directly at him, the lanterns casting a warm glow on his dark blue eyes.  He was looking at Prompto like he was the amazing one, instead of the awe-inspiring sight surrounding them.  “What do you think?” he murmured quietly.

Prompto squeezed his hand, his face quietly joyful.  “It’s beautiful,” he breathed with a soft smile, and Noctis gazed at him wordlessly for a few moments. 

“Well, the official part of the ceremony is over.  Would you…like to finish watching in a more private setting?” he asked, and Prompto nodded.

“I’d like that,” he replied, and Noctis grinned before leading him away by the hand from the balcony and down to the gardens.  They would have to go into the main hall for the ball soon, but Noctis knew he could spare a few moments to have Prompto to himself first.  They found a bench to sit down on and leaned against each other as they watched the lanterns dance around above the city, enjoying their moment of solitude. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I was initially planning for this to be longer and segway into the start of big events, but decided to just let this be a pretty chapter instead. I hope everyone enjoys <3


	16. Separation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompto makes a decision that breaks his heart but he believes is the best for everyone.

When the last two lanterns were floating high enough into the sky that they were finally fading away, Noctis turned to Prompto and asked, “So, how was it?”

Prompto finally tore his gaze away from the sky and turned to face Noctis, a sunny grin on his face.  “It was just amazing,” he gushed.  “It was so much better than I could have ever hoped for!”  Prompto’s eyes were wide with excitement, and Noctis felt his chest warm at how happy he looked.

“I’m glad,” Noctis said softly.  “Now that you’re finally here though, I can show you around the city and all of the places me and Gladio and Iggy hang out.  Oh, and you can finally meet Vesperus!”  As Noctis began to talk about some of the places he wanted to take Prompto, the blond who had initially looked happy began to appear more withdrawn.  It didn’t take Noctis long to notice, and he immediately asked, “What’s wrong?” in confusion.  He thought Prompto would be excited to explore Insomnia, just like he had the other places they had seen on the road trip.

“I want to go home,” Prompto finally admitted.  He watched the look of disappointment cross Noctis’s face and bit his lip.  “I just, I don’t want to start a war, Noct.  And I don’t want my ability to be abused either.  I’ve been scared of that my whole life, you know?”  His eyes locked onto Noctis’s, and he hoped that Noctis would be able to sense his feelings.  “Meeting you and coming here?  It was the best thing that ever happened to me.  I wouldn’t trade that for anything.  But, I’m just, afraid,” he sighed.

Noctis could see the sincerity mixed with conflict in Prompto’s eyes, and he knew that the blond had been struggling with these feelings on the last leg of their trip.  He tried to reign in his disappointment, because he did not want to make Prompto feel bad about how he felt.  He could understand his friend’s feelings and where he was coming from.  “Some of it is the king of light stuff, isn’t it?” he said with a sigh, and Prompto nodded slightly, although his eyebrows furrowed to show he was upset.  Prompto really would want to protect Noctis, but he was conflicted because he didn’t want his abilities to be abused either.

Noctis looked sadly at him, before reaching over and placing a hand on Prompto’s shoulder.  “Prom, I’d never keep you here against your will,” he said firmly.  “If you really want to go home, I’ll make sure you get there safely.”  He stared Prompto straight in the eyes as he spoke, and Prompto’s heart twisted at the honest expression in the prince’s gaze.  “I just…is it ok if we still keep in touch?  I’m going to miss you.”  Noctis’s looked so worried, and Prompto immediately nodded.

“Of course,” he said, his voice slightly choked.  “Definitely.  And maybe once things settle down I’ll come to visit again.  I just…”  His eyes looked desperate, and Noctis squeezed his shoulder.

“I understand,” he said, clearing his throat because his voice came out slightly choked.  “Let me go talk to my dad real quick.  I want to make sure you get home safely, and I know he’ll take care of it for us.”  He gave Prompto a slight smile to show he wasn’t upset with him, and his heart ached when he saw the tears well up in his eyes.  Noctis held back his own tears before tugging his friend gently and pulling him into his arms for a quick hug.  “It’s ok, Prom,” he murmured, and Prompto held him tighter for a moment, basking in the brief moment of warm comfort.  When they finally pulled apart, Noctis gently wiped Prompto’s tears before standing up and walking toward the ballroom so he could pull his father aside for a quick chat.

Prompto stayed back in order to calm down, not yet ready to face everyone in the busy ballroom, and he was startled when from behind him he suddenly heard a slow clap.  He immediately turned his head and gasped as Ardyn walked up, drawling, “What a wonderful performance from the Prince of Lucis.  Ah, I’m almost touched.”

“Father?” Prompto asked in surprise.  “How did you get here?”  He hadn’t expected his father to show up after their last argument and didn’t know how to react. 

“I have my ways,” Ardyn replied, slowly circling around him.  “So, how has doing things your way been going, poppet?” he asked.  “Last I heard things were heating up with Niflheim and Lucis, and, I suppose that’s really due to you, isn’t it?”  Prompto stiffened and looked down, guilt immediately crossing his face.  “Your selfishness has caused quite a mess, hasn’t it?”  He tapped a finger to his chin thoughtfully, watching Prompto out of the corner of his eye. 

He then turned to face him directly.  “And you cannot possibly think that Regis, doting father to that son of his, would really let you leave?  What did I tell you would happen if people found out about your talents?”  He watched the blond intently, as he spoke, and when he saw slight doubt flicker on his face he smirked.  “You know I am the only one who has ever looked out for your best interests,” he pushed, and Prompto let out a sigh.

“I was planning on coming home anyway,” he said, before looking up hesitantly at him.  “If…I come with you.  Will it really stop the war?” he asked.

“Of course, poppet,” Ardyn said, his voice honey sweet.  “I promise, everything will be ok.”  He smiled at Prompto, who nodded almost to himself.

“Is it alright if I say bye to Noct?” he asked, and Ardyn immediately tutted.

“I know you want to say farewell to your…friend.  But as I have said, the King will not want to see you go and will try to manipulate you into staying.  It is best if we go ahead and leave now, and, really, it is for their own good as well,” Ardyn replied.  “Without you here, there will be no reason for the Empire to attack anymore, after all.”

Prompto bit his lip before looking back at the ballroom where Noctis had walked off.  He could see inside all of the happy people dressed in their fine clothes and merrily twirling around on the dance floor.  He saw Gladio dancing with Iris, Ignis watching them fondly, and Noctis finally reaching his father and whispering in his ear in order to pull him aside.  Prompto’s heart ached, and he suddenly longed to be in there with them, enjoying Noctis’s birthday.  However, he would do what needed to be done to keep them safe, and he slowly turned until his back was facing them.  “Yeah, you’re right.  Let’s go home,” he said quietly, shoulders slumped.

“It really is for the best, poppet.  And I really did try to warn you,” Ardyn sighed dramatically.  “Come with me – I will get us back to the tower.”  Prompto followed Ardyn silently, not allowing himself to look back again.  He was leaving his journal, artbook, and chocobo plush behind, but hopefully it would be some small consolation to Noctis once he returned to find Prompto missing.  His heart twisted painfully at the thought, and his footsteps slowed for a moment before he pushed himself forward again.  If it would save Lucis and his new friends, he would gladly leave.


	17. Vanished

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noctis realizes that Prompto has gone missing and everyone finally finds out who the Chancellor really is.

Noctis and his father stepped out into an alcove adjacent to the great hall in order to speak.  Noctis dove straight into it.  “Prompto asked if he could go home,” he explained, immediately noting the concern in his father’s eyes.  “And I told him you’d make sure he got home safely.”

Regis sighed deeply, hand gripping his cane that he occasionally had to use to walk around.  “While I must admit I have a very personal stake in having young Prompto stay here with you,” Regis started, “I am also generally worried for his safety.  Now that the Empire knows of his existence, they will not stop searching until they find him again.  He is much safer here.  We have been hearing reports over the years about the MT program, which is where we suspect Prompto received his ability, and I must say, all reports painted a pretty dark picture of the program.”

Noctis listened carefully.  Although he didn’t sit in on every meeting, he had been to enough to know that the MT program was pretty shady from the reports they had gathered so far.  The thought of Prompto falling within Niflheim hands did terrify him as well.  However.  Noctis had seen the tower that Prompto had been stuck in his whole life.  He didn’t want the Citadel to feel the same.  If Prompto knew he still had freedom of choice and could pick when he wanted to travel, Noctis was sure it wouldn’t take long for things to die down and for Prompto to feel comfortable coming to see him again.  “I understand,” Noctis said, voice heavy.  “But, we can’t break his trust.  I would be torn if anything happened to Prompto.  But I can’t force him here against his will.  He was stuck in that tower his whole life without having a choice and I won’t do that to him again.”

Regis sighed, kind eyes regarding his son.  “You have grown to become a fine young man,” Regis finally said, reaching out with one hand to grip Noctis’s shoulder.  “I will of course ensure his safe return home, along with some eyes to make sure Niflheim doesn’t draw too close.”

Noctis looked relieved and shot his dad a sad smile.  “Thanks.  I’ll go let him know.”  He walked off, shoulders set despite the misery Regis knew was probably in his heart.  He had seen how close they were in spite of the short amount of time they knew each other, and he knew Prompto’s leaving would be hard on his son.  It broke his heart and made him worried about the prophecy as well, but Regis couldn’t tell his son no and also didn’t like the idea of holding Prompto against his will.

Noctis, meanwhile, headed back outside and faltered once he realized Prompto was no longer waiting at the bench.  His eyebrows furrowed and he did a quick once over of the quiet garden, feeling anxiety in his core when he didn’t see any signs of the blond.  He then turned and headed back to the Great Hall, looking around to see if Prompto decided to join the festivities while he waited.  Ignis and Gladio noticed his tense expression and soon pulled away from what they were doing to join him.  “Have you seen Prom?” Noctis asked, and they both shook their heads.

“I do not believe Prompto has joined us,” Ignis replied.

“Yeah, haven’t seen him anywhere.  I’ll go check the bathroom just in case,” Gladio said.

“I shall check the balcony and hallway,” Ignis added, and they both immediately melted into the crowd to search.

Panic was starting to truly bubble up inside Noctis now, and he desperately began searching through the crowd, only stopping when he spotted Cor.  He quickly rushed up to him and quietly asked, “Have you seen Prompto?”

Cor quirked an eyebrow.  “Prompto has gone missing?” he asked.

“I’m not sure.  I had to talk to dad about something so I left him in the garden and he’s not there anymore.  Ignis and Gladio are going to see if maybe he’s in the hallway or bathroom…” Noctis’s panic was creeping into his voice.

Cor quickly assessed the situation before immediately contacting the Crownsguard and asking if anyone had seen their guest.  No one had seen him anywhere, and they had Crownsguard patrolling the whole Citadel for the event.  Cor frowned before immediately calling Clarus.  “It seems we have a problem,” he explained.

Noctis’s heart was hammering in his chest, and he gripped his hands tightly.  Soon they were rejoined by Gladiolus and Ignis who both confirmed they hadn’t seen any sign of him.  “How could Prompto simply disappear?” Noctis asked, throat tight.

Ignis began trying to calm him down, while Gladio exchanged glances with Cor.  “I am going to start winding things down,” Cor said.  “Gladio, take Noctis and Ignis to see his father.  Clarus has already brought him to the council room for safety just in case.”

Gladio nodded, and quickly ushered a reluctant Noctis and concerned Ignis away.  Cor and the rest of the Crownsguard then began to shut the event down, citing the king being fatigued from the ceremony, and keeping a sharp eye out as the guests began to make their way out.  Lunafreya was also ushered to meet up with Regis, while her brother opted to return to their chambers with Umbra and Pryna; whatever was going on wasn’t his business.  Iris was taken to wait in the chambers Clarus used when he stayed at the Citadel and had Monica, a family friend and member of the Crownsguard, with her to ensure her safety.

While the Crownsguard searched, Ignis, Gladiolus, Noctis, and Lunafreya soon found themselves in Regis’s private council room.  Regis and Clarus were already seated inside, Clarus with a carefully stoic face while Regis looked tense.  “I don’t know what happened,” Noctis said, clearly upset and trying very hard to keep his emotions in check.  “I left him for five minutes to talk to you, and when I came back he was gone.  Cor said none of the Crownsguard have seen him.  That’s just not possible…”

“Well, let us gather what we do know,” Regis said, doing his best to appear calm.  “What we know is that Prompto can heal, where he was being kept, and that he has some sort of presence in his life that he calls his father.  Did he appear to have any other abilities?”

Gladio shook his head.  “Healing was the only thing abnormal about the kid,” he said.  “We never saw him do anything that suggested he could disappear.”

“That does seem highly unlikely,” Ignis agreed.  “The young man is very honest.  I do not believe he had anything else to hide other than his healing abilities.”

“The Astrals have only indicated the healing ability,” Lunafreya confirmed.  “And that there is a protective ward around the tower that blocks them from seeing it.  Shiva said that it is very old magic and they are not aware of anyone today that should know how to do that.”

Regis nodded thoughtfully.  “And what of his father?”

Noctis, Gladio, and Ignis exchanged glances.  “He never said much about his father other than the first time we asked,” Noctis said carefully.  “Just that he has kind of dark red hair, yellowish eyes, and can warp like me.  We all thought he was part of the Kingsgliave, but it didn’t sound like anyone I know at least.”

Regis and Clarus exchanged glances before Regis shook his head.  “I am unable to think of anyone myself,” he admitted.  “Or anyone that would travel to that part of Lucis for extended periods of time either.”  He thinks quietly for a moment, before a troubled look suddenly crosses his face. Lunafreya also began to appear alarmed.

“What?” Noctis asked.

“If it isn’t a member of the Crownsguard or Kingsglaive,” he began.  “Then they must be from the line of Lucis.”

Everyone except Luna gave him a skeptical look.  “Dad, you and I are the only Lucis Caelums left,” Noctis pointed out.

“Well,” Lunafreya cut in.  “There is a possibility that there is another.”

Everyone turned to stare at her in confusion.  “What do you mean?” Clarus finally asked, giving Regis a slight scowl. He didn’t like it when his king and best friend hid important things from him.

“When researching Noctis’s fate and information on the Accursed,” Regis started.  “I noticed that a lot of the abilities written about him in the old texts seem to match those from our family line.  As you all well know, only our family can access the power of the Crystal without coming to harm.  Others that use it do so after I have granted them access through me.  This is a modern practice that they would not have known to do a thousand or so years ago.  And, due to the daemonic blood coursing through his veins, the Accursed is definitely still alive out there today.”

“So, you’re saying I have some great to some degree uncle running around out there?” Noctis deadpanned. 

“It is quite possible,” Lunafreya agreed.

Before anyone had a chance to mull over the new information, there was a rap at the door.  “Your majesty, a Commodore from Niflheim is demanding to speak to you,” Cor’s voice could be heard through the door.

Noctis’s brows furrowed while Ignis and Gladiolus gave each other a look.  They had met one commodore already, and they had no idea why she would be there.

“It’s kind of urgent, so I would appreciate it if you would graciously let me in,” another voice said sarcastically from the other side of the door.  Cor let out an exasperated snort, and the three young men immediately knew they were right.  That definitely sounded like Aranea Highwind.

“She can be trusted,” Noctis explained.  “She warned us about more possible attacks from Niflheim and refrained from attacking us like everyone else.”

Regis nodded.  “Let her in,” he called, and Cor opened the door and immediately stepped in to avoid getting knocked over by the shorter, silver-haired woman.  She didn’t seem intimated by him in the least.

“Do you know the location of Chancellor Izunia?” she asked, cutting straight to the chase.

Regis and Clarus both looked surprised while the others looked bewildered.  “We have not seen the man since he last came to negotiate several weeks ago,” Regis explained.  “Why would you expect him here?”

“Because he only a few hours ago betrayed the Empire and stabbed the Emperor before heading in the direction of Lucis,” Aranea spat.  Everyone looked floored by the news.  “The Emperor is grievously injured, and I have been tasked with finding him so he could be brought to justice and bringing the Prince back to save the Emperor’s life.”  She looked around the room and raised an eyebrow.  “Where is he by the way?”

“Prompto’s gone missing,” Noctis blurted out, and Aranea stared at him silently for several minutes.

“Missing,” she repeated, and Noctis nodded.

“You do realize that if I don’t bring him back with me, Niflheim will see it as you sentencing the Emperor to death and it will definitely lead to war, right?” she pointed out.

“It is unfortunately the truth.  You may have noticed that my Crownsguard is currently on high alert,” Regis explained.  “We are looking for him as we speak.”

Arenea let out a deep sigh while Clarus asked curiously, “How did the Chancellor escape Niflheim after carrying out an act so openly?”

“Because, no matter how many bullets hit him, he continued walking nonchalantly away, taunting us for our efforts.  And he bested anyone that faced him directly as well.  Used some weird magic that looked a lot like some of those Kingsglaive I’ve seen on the field.  To be honest, I have no idea how I’m supposed to bring in such a monster, which is why I was trying to deal with the other issues first.”

Upon hearing that, Regis dropped his cane, causing a loud clattering sound as it hit the marble floor.  Everyone in the room froze.  “Did you just say Ardyn couldn’t be harmed?  And had magic like a Glaive?” Regis asked, his voice sharp.

“I thought I was pretty clear about that,” Aranea said, placing her hand on her hip.  “So, what did you all suddenly figure out?”

“Ardyn has red hair, doesn’t he?” Noctis asked slowly.  Ardyn was the Chancellor he couldn’t stand and usually tried to avoid any time he came for a visit.

“Yes, burgundy in color,” Ignis agreed.  “And amber eyes.”

“And he can warp like a Glaive,” Gladio said, slamming a fist on the table. 

“Thank you, Commodore.  You have solved a great mystery for us,” Regis explained.  “You may have heard the stories before, but based on your description, Ardyn very well may be the Accursed of legend.”  Aranea swore under her breath.

Cor then stepped forward from where he had been leaning against the wall to interrupt further.  “Your majesty, we have reports that daemons have been popping up in exceedingly high numbers all throughout Lucis,” Cor reported.  “The Glaive are keeping an eye out on the larger cities, but we are concerned about smaller towns that don’t have anti-daemon lights that are as strong.”

Noctis bit his lip, his father’s words about his fate running through his head.  He was to be the king of light to banish the darkness, and things were beginning to appear pretty bleak.  He nervously reached his hands in his pockets so he could pull out his phone to see if there was anything on the news, and he was confused when he realized it wasn’t there.  That’s when his eyes widened with realization.  “Prompto still has my phone,” he said, and the others turned to stare at him.  “You guys do have tracking on it, right?”

“Of course we do,” Gladio said, pulling his out.  “As long as it’s not in a dead zone or turned off.”  He immediately pulled up the app he used to track Noctis’s phone, and his eyebrows raised.  “Your phone is currently moving rapidly toward Cleigne,” he said.  “I believe Prompto’s in one of those airships heading toward the tower.”

“And if the Accursed was heading this way and is the man Prompto calls father, it’s very possible he could have taken him.  With his abilities he may have been able to get passed the Crownsguard without being seen,” Ignis mused.

Noctis’s blood froze at the idea of Prompto with such a dangerous man.  Lucis didn’t have airships like Niflheim and with the daemons swarming out there it would make travel very difficult.  Suddenly, an idea popped into his head and he turned to look at Lunafreya, catching her attention and motioning toward the door.  There was one thing they could do in order to get to Prompto in time.


	18. Realization

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompto returns to the tower and realizes he's made a mistake.

Not long after Ardyn whisked Prompto past the Crownsguard and to where he had hidden his airship, they were in the sky and rapidly heading toward the tower.  It was Prompto’s first time flying, and if he had been with Noctis and the others he felt sure he would have been more curious about the ship, but he was too in his head to really care.  He did remember every time they had encountered the Empire’s drop ships during their journey, however, and he wondered why his father had one when he was pretty sure the Lucians didn’t have anything like that.  But, he soon found himself distracted by thoughts of Noctis and how upset the prince would be once he realized he had left without saying goodbye. 

Prompto sighed and leaned back against the wall of the ship, fiddling with his tie and loosening it.  He suddenly felt claustrophobic in the small space and like the tie was choking him. Ardyn hadn’t spoken to him since leaving Insomnia and seemed pretty preoccupied by something, but it didn’t bother Prompto since it meant he didn’t have to put on a cheerful act in front of the other man.  He couldn’t help but feel like he had made the wrong decision somehow, even if it was over wanting to protect Lucis and his friends.  Prompto tried to steady his breathing and rested his head on his knees, attempting to steel himself against his anxiety and doubt.   Protecting his friends was more important than missing them, and he was sure eventually things would quiet down enough for him to return to see them again.  Maybe if he apologized enough they would accept him back.

It didn’t take them too long to reach the tower, since the airship travelled at a much faster speed and on a more direct path than Noctis’s car could.  Once they arrived, Ardyn landed the airship in the field surrounding the tower before immediately warping them back inside.  “Get packed,” Ardyn snapped, and before Prompto could question him he hurried downstairs to his own room.

Prompto felt cold fear suddenly tighten in his chest at his father’s words.  Why would he need to pack?  Wouldn’t they be staying here?  If they were leaving…then it was less likely he’d be seeing Noctis again.  Prompto bit his lip before looking around the room, taking in how messy it was compared to how he had left it.  It looked like when Ardyn had returned home to find him gone, he had reacted poorly because Prompto’s stuff was scattered everywhere and several of his books and journals were torn up as well.  Prompto looked around the room, suddenly feeling strange now that he was back home.  Although he had lived here as long as he could remember, it now felt foreign, and cold and empty compared to all the different places he had stayed with Noctis, Ignis, and Gladio.  Prompto shook his head, trying to get the strange thoughts out.  He was probably just feeling that way because Ardyn had torn things up in one of his moods.  And had told him to pack which implied they were leaving.  He was just shaken up, that had to be it.

He decided the first thing he should do was change out of his suit, reaching up and pulling off his chocobo tie first.  Maybe if he changed back into something he was more familiar with and distanced himself from things that reminded him of the Lucians he would feel more at ease.  As he began to unbutton his jacket, however, he was surprised to feel a buzzing in the breast pocket.  Prompto swore under his breath, something he had picked up from Gladiolus, before pulling out Noctis’s phone which was surprisingly still on him.  He had forgotten that Noctis had handed it to him to take pictures of the lanterns. 

There was a notification on the screen about breaking news, and Prompto curiously unlocked the phone in order to see what it said.  His eyes widened and he nearly dropped the phone upon seeing a picture of his father stabbing the Emperor of Niflheim.  His eyes quickly scanned the article, and he felt his heart pound in his chest as each line sounded more dire than the last.  Ardyn was the Chancellor of Niflheim, Lucis’s enemy.  He had betrayed the Emperor and attacked him before fleeing toward Lucis, making the Empire believe he may have been a spy for the Lucians.  War seemed inevitable, which meant Prompto returning with Ardyn was a pretty useless endeavor.  Ardyn had lied to him, had been lying to him this whole time.  Prompto had already known Ardyn wasn’t really his father, since he had asked him as a child about the strange barcode on his wrist and had a vague idea he had been born in a lab which is why he had his magic, but he had thought his adopted father had his best interests at heart this whole time.  Apparently, he had only been using him to keep him away from Noctis.  Ardyn had seemed pretty angry to see him with the prince back in Lestellum, and now it all made sense.

Prompto’s thoughts were broken by the telltale groan of daemons popping outside, only the sound kept repeating over and over again which is why it broke his concentration.  Prompto wandered over to the window, and his eyes widened over what he saw.  It appeared darker outside than usual, with the moon and the stars covered in the sky by dark clouds, and there were daemons crawling outside _everywhere_.  Usually there were only a few at a time that would pop up throughout the night in small groups, but Prompto was sure he saw hundreds of them crawling around outside right now, and he could hear in the distance loud sounds of some of the local beasts in distress like they were being attacked.  Suddenly, thoughts about the prophecy and Noctis’s destiny flooded Prompto’s head, and he began to feel sick as he remembered an important fact.  Noctis was destined to fight against the Accursed and was meant to die in the process to save Eos from the dark.  Prompto thought back to all the signs he had seen all his life, of the darkness within Ardyn, the fact that he never seemed bothered by the daemons, and how his current actions appeared to have escalated things toward war.  And now even the daemons multiplying outside.

“I thought I told you to pack,” Ardyn’s said in irritation, as the burgundy haired man entered the room carrying a heavy looking bag.  “What are you doing gawking out the window like that?”

Prompto whipped around, staring at the other man with wide eyes.  “You’re the Accursed,” he gasped, and Ardyn raised an eyebrow before cocking his head to the side.

“Oh?” he asked, and Prompto could see a hint of that daemonic side of Ardyn creep into his eyes.

“You…You lied to me!” Prompto added, feeling his whole body tremble in fear.  “You said coming here would stop the war when you only escalated it by attacking the Emperor and making it look like Lucis was involved!  You never wanted to protect me – you were just keeping me away from Noctis so I couldn’t protect him!”

A dark look crossed Ardyn’s face, and his usually bemused expression transformed into a sneer.  “It looks like you finally figured it out,” he drawled, his pupils turning black along with his veins as ichor spilled down the side of his mouth.  Prompto sucked in a breath, stepping back closer to the window.  “Although you are much too late to do much of anything about it.  I have already taken you away from your dear prince,” Ardyn smirked.  “And when he finally falls you will be nowhere nearby to help.  In fact, I am taking you back to where no one should be able to find you again – back to where you were born.  Or, should I say made?”

“I won’t let you hurt him!” Prompto shouted, hands balling into fists.  “I’m not afraid of you anymore!  I can’t believe you lied to me – lied to me my whole life!”  Prompto stared defiantly at Ardyn, who merely began to laugh.

“Oh poppet, if only you can see yourself now,” Ardyn sneered.  “Look out that window.  Even if you could somehow stop me, how would you manage to get down and past all of those daemons waiting outside to tear you apart?”

Prompto glanced back out the window and frowned, before dashing past Ardyn and rushing downstairs, heading toward the cellar where he hoped he could find a way out.  He also grabbed one of his guns along the way, since he still had some in the training room that he had left behind.  He would figure out a way out – he had to.  Ardyn continued to laugh as Prompto dashed downstairs, making his way nonchalantly behind the young man, taking his time and allowing him to have a head start.  He knew how futile his efforts were and that soon enough he’d have him under lock and key if he had to.


	19. Fate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noctis, Lunafreya, Gladiolus, and Ignis rush to get to Prompto in time to save him from Ardyn.

Noctis and Luna used the flurry of activity after the announcement of the increase in daemonic activity as a distraction to sneak out of the room and into the hallway.  Lunafreya motioned for Noctis to follow her and he nodded, before they both carefully made their way down the hall, avoiding the Crownsguard and other castle staff as they rushed around.  They soon made it to one of the emptier side halls, where Noctis found he was less than surprised to see Umbra and Pryna waiting for them.  He was, however, shocked to see Gentiana, a dark-haired woman with a calm, steady presence, standing with them while holding Luna’s Oracle trident.  Gentiana was a direct messenger for the Astrals and had always kind of creeped Noctis out, for she seemed able to pop up at anytime without warning.  He hadn’t seen her at all in the castle until now and wondered how she had gotten there amidst the chaos going on outside.

Gentiana bowed slightly to both of them before handing Luna her trident and smiling warmly.  “The Astrals’ blessings go with you all,” she said serenely, and Noctis jumped when behind him he heard a sudden grunt.

“They better for where we’re going,” Gladiolus said, and Noctis turned to see his shield and chamberlain standing behind them, arms crossed with matching looks of disapproval.

Noctis opened his mouth, and Ignis shook his head.  “Now is not the time your highness,” he said blandly, and Noctis sighed.

“Did you really think we’d let you sneak off on your own?” Gladio snorted.  “We want to make sure blondie’s ok as much as you do.”

“Well, maybe not quite as much,” Ignis said with a slight grin.  Noctis blushed before crossing his arms defiantly.

“I just figured you’d try to stop me,” he said stubbornly.

“I think we know you a little better than to attempt that,” Ignis replied coolly, placing a hand of comfort on Noctis’s shoulder.  Noctis relaxed slightly at the touch.

“Just as before, Umbra will only be able to place us outside of the barrier,” Lunafreya explained.  “After that we will have to make our way through the daemons to reach the tower in order to save Prompto.  Is everyone ready for battle?”

Noctis glanced at Gladiolus and Ignis who both gave resolute nods.  “I think we are,” he said.  He then turned to face Umbra, who whined slightly until Noctis reached out to scratch him behind the ears.  Next to him, Pryna nuzzled Umbra encouragingly, and the darker furred dog soon lifted his paw up for Noctis to take.  The other three reached out, Gladio placing his hand on Noctis’s back while both Ignis and Luna took hold of one of his shoulders.  Once they were settled, Noctis reached out to take Umbra’s paw, and they were immediately transported to the now dark forest located near the tower.  All around them were confusing sounds from hundreds of daemons tramping about and beasts trying to get away.  It didn’t take long for them to be spotted, and Umbra disappeared as a wave of goblins suddenly rushed at them.

Noctis, Ignis, and Gladiolus summoned their weapons while Lunafreya lifted up her trident, gathering some of her magic and causing a white light to stream out from the top, surrounding them like a barrier that deflected most of the daemons.  That gave them all an advantage, and they were soon making their way through the forest, darting past the barrier to take out some daemons before popping back under it again to take a breather.  Gladio was using his great sword to use large swinging attacks that took out swarms of the smaller daemons, while Ignis was using his double knives while tapping into Noctis’s magic to dole out elemental based attacks, quickly determining each daemon's weakness that they encountered.  Noctis was warping about, speedily taking out daemons with his warp strikes and using the afterglow of the crystal’s magic to confuse the daemons and dodge their attacks.  Lunafreya, meanwhile, infused her trident with her anti-daemon magic and essentially destroyed their essence, causing them to immediately dissipate each time they made contact with her weapon.  She was a force to be reckoned with, and the other three were thoroughly impressed.

The closer they got to the tower, the stronger the daemons became, and they were soon slowing down their pace as they struggled to break free past some Red Giants and Mindflayers.  They could now see the tower in the distance, and Noctis’s heart caught in his throat when he realized the light was on at the top.  Down below, they could see the outline of an airship as well.  That meant that Prompto was still there.  “Prompto!” Noctis shouted, even though he knew he was still too far away for the other man to hear him.

Ignis and Gladio also noted the light in the room, and they soon doubled their efforts in order to keep up with their prince who was furiously making his way through the daemons, warping too fast for anyone to keep up with him as he tried to find an opening to break past.  Ignis was starting to get worried about his energy reserves when Lunafreya finally made the opening for him, swinging her trident and unleashing a bright light in the process that eliminated a whole row of daemons in front of them and allowed them to rush forward before the space could be filled by a new set.

This permitted them to get much closer to the tower, close enough where Noctis could finally warp up if he aimed just right.  “Prompto!” he yelled again, feeling frustrated when there was no response from up above.

“Noctis,” Ignis immediately cautioned, “you should wait…”

His words were ignored as Noctis threw his weapon, warping after it as it landed squarely above the window in the tower.  That left Gladiolus, Lunafreya, and Ignis to do their best to take out the daemons directly surrounding the tower, until they could have enough of an opening to use their shot-hooks to follow behind.  The three of them couldn’t help but feel worried about the young prince, but since none of them could also warp, there wasn’t anything they could do for the moment other than hope he’d be alright on his own.

Noctis, meanwhile, had just landed on the windowsill, when he suddenly felt an intense pain in his side and gasped, looking up to see the Chancellor’s smirk as he pulled his sword out from where it was currently stabbing him through his abdomen.  Noctis drew in a ragged breath, placing his hand over the wound before tumbling onto the floor, trying to ignore the wet heat from his blood as it began to seep from the cut.  He heard a whimpering sound and looked up, chest tightening as he saw Prompto, bloody and bruised while chained to a chair, a gag covering his mouth.  His perfectly styled hair from earlier was now a mess, and his eyes desperately sought Noctis’s, tears streaming down his face as he took in his injury.  Noctis’s eyes locked onto his as he tried his best to sit up, wincing against the pain. 

Prompto began to struggle against the chains binding him to the chair, as Noctis realized Ardyn had started to chuckle. He looked up defiantly as the burgundy haired man stepped forward, almost seeming to ignore him as he glanced out the window.

“They stand no chance against the horde, and once the Oracle is dead the Starscourge will rage and the night will be never ending.  It’s a shame her mother’s abilities faded when she was deigned the new Oracle,” Ardyn mused, almost to himself.  “And with the King of Light slain as a mere Prince, well, I’m afraid Eos is simply out of luck.”

Prompto suddenly bit back his gag, tearing at it with his teeth until it was loosened enough to fall down his neck.  “Please, let me heal him!” he begged, still staring desperately at Noctis.

“Oh?” Ardyn asked, turning away from the window to face Prompto with a smug grin.  “And what would I have to gain from such an action? I’m afraid healing him wouldn’t be beneficial to my health.  Besides, he was born to be a sacrificial lamb, was he not?  Only in dying can he break the curse.”

Prompto’s eyes widened in shock, his eyebrows immediately furrowing as he began to struggle even harder to break free.  Behind Ardyn, Noctis’s breathing began to grow labored as he continued to lose blood, and his now glassy gaze locked onto Prompto’s frantic one.  Noctis shot Prompto a sad, apologetic smile as the life began to fade from his eyes, and Prompto choked out his name in vain as Noctis suddenly slumped to the ground.  Prompto’s throat immediately closed up, and he choked out a sob before slumping forward in his chair.  “Why?” he shouted suddenly, surprising Ardyn.  “Why was I given this ability if it was just going to be useless in the end?!”

Prompto bit his lip, but before he could grieve anymore, his suffering and Ardyn’s celebration was interrupted by a bright blue flash of light.  Prompto’s head snapped up while Ardyn frowned before turning back around.  They both watched in awe as the bright blue light from the crystal’s magic shot up from Noctis’s body, immediately forming his armiger that consisted of the weapons of his ancestors circling around his fallen form.  Prompto let out a gasp as one by one, they raised up and slammed into Ardyn’s chest, who took a shaky step back each time they hit.  He had almost stepped all the way back to where Prompto was when the last weapon hit and he immediately disappeared.  The blue light suddenly faded from around Noctis, and Prompto watched hopefully for a moment, until he realized that the other man had completely stilled and wasn’t moving.  “Noctis?” he said quietly, tears rolling down his face when he received no reply.

Meanwhile, Noctis found himself in a strange, otherworldly dimension, lit up by bright blue light that reminded him of the Crystal’s power.  It was like he was surrounded by it.  Moments later, he was surprised when Ardyn suddenly appeared with a bright flash, scowling at him once he realized where they were.  “I was so certain I had tricked that silly little prophecy,” the other man sneered, pulling out his sword.  “At least I managed to ensure you won’t survive this encounter.  I can already imagine the great funeral they’ll hold in your honor for the foolish boy who could only rush heedlessly ahead to his death.” 

Ardyn’s smirk was immediately broken when Noctis pointed out, “Prompto will be one of the ones who will suffer.”  He had drawn his own sword and also had his armiger out encircling him.

Ardyn’s eyes narrowed and a frown crossed his face.  “Why should I care about how that thoughtless boy feels?  I merely kept him around to keep your father desperate as he searched for the one thing that could save you.”  Ardyn’s face twisted as he allowed the daemonic ichor in his blood to come out in full force and he soon had his own armiger encircling him as well.  Noctis gasped, for while he had been told Ardyn was more than likely a Lucis Caelum, it was something else entirely to see it proven in person.  He steeled himself, however, and this time waited patiently, biding his time until Ardyn eventually grew too impatient and made his first move.  Ardyn immediately came at him with a warp strike, but Noctis was easily able to parry it, feeling a surge of strength inside the crystal space.  It was like he was directly in-tuned to the magic in a way he never had been before, and he could tell by Ardyn’s sluggish moves that it appeared the opposite for him.  It was almost like the crystal’s magic was weighing heavily on him and making it harder for him to move.

Noctis used this knowledge to his advantage, and he soon launched a furious counterattack, using his armiger to whip around Ardyn, twisting and turning and confusing the other man who seemed unable to keep up.  As Noctis fought, he could feel his ancestors encouraging him, almost like they were surrounding him as they lent him the strength of their weapons.  He could feel the hopes of the people of Lucis, praying for a miracle to put an end to the increased horde of daemons scavenging Eos.  He could sense his friends and family, encouraging him and wishing him well.  He could almost hear Prompto calling his name, and he blinked back tears as he made one final warp strike, running Ardyn through the heart and causing the older man to stumble back before falling, immediately disappearing into a dark cloud of smoke that bubbled up from the ground, similarly to what happened when they took out a daemon.

The moment Ardyn disappeared, Noctis’s body began to feel heavy, and his sword fell out of his hand and clattered to the ground before disappearing with a burst of blue light.  All of the energy that Noctis had been feeling only moments before seemed to immediately drain out of him, and Noctis soon felt tired and lethargic.  ‘It can’t hurt to rest,’ he reasoned, his eyes sliding closed as his body began to float in the blue light of the crystal.


	20. Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompto is met by an unexpected visitor in the tower.

Inside the tower, Prompto sat with his head bowed as the sound of fighting continued on outside.  He was no longer struggling with his chains, knowing that he was too late to do anything.  Eventually, it grew eerily silent as outside the sounds of daemons quieted, his sniffling from crying the only sound in the room.  He heard distant shouting that sounded like Gladiolus and Ignis along with a female voice, and his chest tightened.  He could only imagine their desolate expressions and likely accusing gazes when they arrived.  His dark thoughts were interrupted, however, by a sudden chill that had entered the room.  Prompto blinked back his tears and lifted his head, immediately looking startled as he spotted a woman with long dark hair, black robes, and a white sash around her shoulders.  She was standing over Noctis, and she knelt down next to him, placing a gentle hand on his wound and leaving an icy handprint covering it in the process.

As he stared at her, the temperature continued to drop and frost began to creep throughout the room, starting from where she was standing.  She stood up and faced Prompto, meeting his questioning gaze with one full of empathy as she began to step toward him.  As she moved, her body transformed and the temperature steadily dropped, her clothes melting away and her skin turning ice blue and her dark hair stark white.  By the time she stood in front of him, she was practically naked, with silvery jewelry and icy silver pieces barely covering parts of her torso.  The white sash had turned into a filmy silk gauze that flowed around her, and her white hair was now ornately tied up into a braid.  Prompto inherently knew who he was looking at now – it had to be the Astral Shiva known as the Glacian.

“Do not give up hope,” she addressed him, voice soothing yet deep.  “The prince has not passed over quite yet.”

Prompto’s eyes immediately widened, and he stared up at Shiva in surprise.  She smiled at him encouragingly, before reaching over and placing one finger on his chains, immediately freezing them and causing them to crack and break apart.  Prompto pushed past her and rushed to Noctis, pulling him onto his lap before placing both hands on the stab wound and closing his eyes.  He immediately began to call upon his healing magic, not noticing as Shiva disappeared, leaving the frost in the room as the only indicator she had been there.  Golden light began to surround Prompto’s body as he channeled it into Noctis’s wound, praying that he wasn’t too late.

Prompto was so focused that he didn’t even notice the sound of the shot hooks hitting the windowsill, or the commotion going outside as three people made their way up the tower.  Gladiolus was the first to pop up, swearing before turning to help Ignis and Lunafreya climb over the windowsill.  They carefully stepped around Noctis and Prompto, Gladio slamming his fist into the wall in frustration, while Luna covered her mouth with one hand, before looking around and raising an eyebrow when she noticed the rapidly thawing frost in the room.  Ignis, meanwhile, knelt down next to Noctis and Prompto, gently taking Noctis’s wrist with a lightly shaking hand and closing his eyes as he concentrated. His eyes flew open and he breathed a sigh of relief as he exclaimed, “He’s alive!”

Everyone immediately turned to stare at Noctis, even Prompto’s eyes flying open as he glanced down at the prince’s face hopefully.  A few moments later, Noctis’s eyes began to flutter and his eyebrows furrowed until he finally managed to open them, dark blue eyes looking sharper and less glassy than the last time Prompto had seen them.  He looked exhausted and pale still, but he smiled weakly up at them.  “Hey,” he finally managed, voice hoarse but steady, and Prompto immediately hugged him from above, wrapping his arms around Noctis’s shoulders and pressing his forehead against the other man’s.  Ignis, meanwhile, hugged Noctis around his torso, while Lunafreya carefully kneeled down next to him to hug him from the other side.  Gladio kneeled down next to Ignis and swept everyone up in his embrace, causing them all to laugh.

In the middle of the group hug, Noctis and Prompto locked eyes, their expressions soft as the silently let each other know how much they cared about the other and how happy they were the other was safe.  Eventually, Gladio finally let everyone go and they carefully pulled apart, Ignis whipping out his phone to call the king while Lunafreya closed her eyes and communicated with the Astrals.  Gladio had turned to give Noctis and Prompto some privacy while trying to listen in on Ignis’s conversation.  Prompto, meanwhile, still had Noctis’s head in his lap and was gently running his fingers through his hair, while Noctis enjoyed his gentle touch.  Although his wound was healed, he was still exhausted and it would probably take awhile for his energy to return completely.

“His majesty is sending some of the Kingsglaive over from Lestallum to pick us up,” Ignis said after his call ended.  “Although the daemons are gone, the situation with Niflheim is still tenuous and he wants to ensure we have protection.”

“Umbra used a lot of energy bringing us all here, or I would have him bring us back,” Lunafreya commented.

“Umbra did good,” Noctis said, eyes closed as he lay contentedly in Prompto’s lap. 

Luna smiled to herself at how cute they looked, before calling her brother to let him know she was alright.  She was sure Ravus was worried.  Gladio and Ignis, meanwhile, used the time to finally explore the tower, starting with Ardyn’s room.  They began to sort through his files, eyes wide as they read through some of the research from the MT program and other experimentation going on in Niflheim.  They began to gather together as much evidence as they could, figuring that it would be needed in the days to come. 

About an hour or so later, they heard the sound of an airship, and Lunafreya looked out the window, body tense as it landed in the clearing next to the one Ardyn had used.  To her relief, when the hatch opened Aranea stepped out, followed by members of the Kingsglaive.  Aranea had still been at Insomnia and had offered to give them a lift in her airship when she learned the situation.  It was much faster than trying to travel by car. The Kingsglaive began to warp up to the tower, and Aranea rolled her eyes while staying on the ground, muttering how they were a bunch of showoffs while she waited.  One of the Glaives happened to be Nyx, the one Noctis had run into back on their journey, and Ignis led him and the others into Ardyn’s room to carry as much information back to Insomnia as they could.  Gladiolus, meanwhile, lifted Noctis onto his back to carry him down, and soon everyone had made their way to the airship and were getting themselves settled.  “How’s…the situation with Niflheim?” Prompto finally asked hesitantly, looking at Nyx as he asked.

“Honestly?” Nyx replied.  “Still not good.  The Emperor is barely managing to hold on but we’re not sure for how much longer.  And while the Niffs lost a big chunk of their army when the MTs faded away, they still have a sizable one left along with a lot of mechs and other technology we just don’t have.”

Prompto nodded to himself, thinking for a moment before saying, “I want to go see him.”

Noctis immediately gripped his hand in concern, while Ignis and Gladiolus stared at him in surprise.  The Kingsglaive carefully kept their expressions masked, except for Nyx who raised an eyebrow and waited for him to clarify.  Aranea was also carefully listening, leaning against the door to the cockpit, not wanting to start until she listened to his reasoning as well.  “What do you mean?” Noctis gasped, worry lacing his words.

Prompto squeezed his hand reassuringly.  “I want to go heal the Emperor and stop this war,” he clarified.  “Then they can’t say that you guys were hiding me from them or whatever.”  He had seen that included in the article and had felt incredibly guilty over it.

Before Noctis could argue, Nyx asked, “You would do that for Lucis?”  He was giving Prompto a steady look, obviously judging his intentions.

Prompto nodded.  “Yeah.  The whole reason why I left is because I thought if I was gone, it would avoid a war,” Prompto said.  “But then I found out too late that wasn’t the case.  If I can stop things and protect Noctis and the people of Lucis, then I want to do everything I can.”

“I can go with him,” Lunafreya said, causing Noctis to shoot her a betrayed look.  “I am still the Oracle and have immunity that can add a level of protection.”

“Then I’m going too,” Noctis said stubbornly, and Ignis immediately shook his head.

“You most certainly are not,” he huffed.  “You need to recover your strength.”

“I will go,” Nyx immediately chimed in.  “As added protection and as a representative of Lucis.  As long as I have your permission that is, your highness.”

He looked Noctis straight in the eyes as he spoke, his steadfast gaze showing his honest intentions.  Noctis bit his lip slightly before letting out a disgruntled sigh.  “Fine,” he said.  “But you must protect Prompto and make sure he gets out of there unharmed.”

Nyx smirked in reply.  “Oh, I’m sure I can manage that,” he said confidently.

“Then I guess after I drop you lot off at Lestallum, I’ll be the one to bring you there,” Aranea said.  The others turned to stare at her.  “Look, I don’t want war anymore than you do.  Lucis isn’t the only one who will lose people if it comes to that,” she explained.

Noctis nodded.  “We can trust her.  She’s proven that many times already,” he said.

“I only wish I had my crew with me,” she muttered.  “Then we could have taken both airships and not have to waste so much time.”  Due to Lucis not having the technology, hardly any of the Lucians knew how to work Niflheim tech.  She then climbed into the pilot’s seat, immediately flying them to Lestallum so she could drop off most of them before bringing the remaining group to Gralea in order to face the Emperor and hopefully avoid war.


	21. Happily Ever After

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompto goes to Niflheim in order to save the Emperor and stop the potential war.

After dropping off the prince, his retinue, and the Glaive, with Noctis desperately staring back at Prompto until the hatch on the airship finally closed, they made their way to Niflheim, Nyx and Aranea quietly talking in the front so he could get an idea of what to expect.  Prompto, meanwhile, sat nervously hunched in the corner, jiggling his leg with his arms crossed as he stared out, lost in thought.  He was surprised when Lunafreya suddenly walked over to him, sitting down next to him gracefully and also staring forward until he glanced at her.

She turned to give him an encouraging smile, before folding her hands in her lap.  “It is very brave of you to do this,” she started.  “You have a very big heart.”

Prompto shrugged.  “I don’t know about all that,” he replied.  “I just…I don’t want to see others get hurt.  Because of me especially.”

Luna hummed thoughtfully.  “I understand,” she replied.  “Because I am the same way.”

Prompto thought for a moment, before chuckling.  “I guess so.  In a way, we’ve got similar abilities, huh?”

“Had,” Lunafreya corrected.  “Now that the Starscourge has been eradicated, there is no longer any need for my abilities.  I now remain solely as an intermediary between mankind and the Astrals.”  She paused, before thoughtfully asking, “When this is over, what do you want to do?”

Prompto leaned his head back, staring up at the ceiling of the ship.  “You know, back when I was still travelling with Noct, Iggy, and Gladio, I kind of had a thought,” he confessed.  Lunafreya patiently waited for him to continue.  After Prompto had gathered his thoughts, he said, “I want to travel around and see more of the world that I only got to dream about in the tower.  But in the process…I don’t want to hide my abilities anymore.  I want to share it with everyone and help who I can.”

“It is an exhausting path to walk,” Lunafreya replied calmly.  “But a noble one.  There are many who will wish to abuse it – I speak from experience.”  She had noticed in the front of the ship it had gone quiet, and she had a feeling that Aranea and Nyx were listening in with interest, although Prompto hadn’t seemed to have noticed.  “Also, no matter how much you wish it, there is no way to heal everyone.  Sometimes you will have to choose and that is a difficult choice to make.”

“I want to give it a try though,” Prompto replied quietly.

“And what of Noctis?” Lunafreya asked.  “He cannot leave Lucis as he pleases.  He has his duties to the throne.”

Prompto bit his lip.  “I think he’ll understand,” he confessed, before correcting himself.  “He will understand.  Why I need to do it.  And that at the end of the day, Lucis is my home.  I may have been born in Niflheim, but I was raised in Lucis after all.  Insomnia will be where I always return to between trips, and I’m sure sometimes he gets to leave, right?”

He looked at Lunafreya hopefully who smiled encouragingly at him.  “You are quite right.  He acts as a diplomat on Lucis’s behalf and will travel occasionally as a result,” she agreed.  “I think knowing you view him as your home will make him quite happy.”  Prompto blushed at her choice of words, knowing she made them intentionally, and nodded his head.  “I also must confess I had a reason why I asked you those questions.  I have a proposition for you.”

Prompto looked at her curiously, cocking his head slightly as he waited.  “If you really do plan on travelling and healing those in need, I would like you take on the title of Oracle in my stead.  I have no need of it, and the people of Eos are in need of someone with your talents,” she explained.  “This will also give you a means of travel and the title to accompany Noctis when he has to attend some of those diplomatic events we were speaking of.”  Her eyes sparkled at the latter comment, but he could tell by her earnest expression that she was asking him honestly.  “It is a burden that I offer you, but it can also be very rewarding seeing how you can turn another’s life around.”

Prompto was shocked that she would be offering him of all people such a valuable title.  As they had travelled, he had heard how the people surrounding them all viewed the Oracle with reverence and awe, and he couldn’t imagine people seeing him in quite the same way.  But, at the same time, it closely fit what he wanted to do, and he found himself nodding slowly.  “If you think I can do it, then yeah,” he agreed.

Lunafreya smiled widely.  “I will teach you everything I know.  Before your first public appearance, we will ensure you are well prepared,” she promised.  “But, I think this will also be useful when we face the Emperor, since I am sure he will not want to let you go.”

She squeezed his hand encouragingly, before getting up to give him time to think.  As Prompto began to muse about his new plans for the future, Lunafreya walked over to where Nyx and Aranea had been listening in.  “That was a sneaky thing you did,” Nyx said, frowning slightly.

“I only offered once I was sure it was something he wanted,” she replied, standing her ground.  “Besides, I know exactly what will happen once we arrive there.  If Prompto is Oracle, then the Emperor will have no grounds to keep him there.  In fact, he cannot because the Oracle belongs to all of Eos.”

“And when people complain that he favors Lucis because of his ties to its prince?” Aranea asked from the pilot’s seat.

“I will help him navigate those waters,” Lunafreya replied.  “I also had to do the same.  And first and foremost, Noctis is my friend and I want to see him happy.”  She glanced back at Prompto and smiled softly.  “I haven’t seen him this happy in quite awhile,” she said to herself.  “This will allow them to spend more time together as well.  It can be quite difficult when one is from a different class.” 

Nyx looked at her thoughtfully, before replying, “Difficult but not impossible,” causing Luna to look at him curiously.  He gave her a roguish smile, before calling for Prompto and waving him over to join them.  They needed to debrief before reaching Gralea.

Once they finally arrived, they were ushered straight to the Emperor, who was barely hanging on for his life.  The guards tried to separate Nyx from the others, uncertain of Lucis’s intentions and knowing that the Kingsglaive could summon weapons at any time, but Aranea pulled rank and was able to keep him with the rest of the party.  She explained that he was there as protection for the missing prince, and they immediately quieted.

Iodelas was nestled in his bed, skin ashen and eyes glassy from his fever.  There were multiple doctors in the room, watching his vital signs and conferring about different methods they wanted to take to end his fever and the infection from his wound.  They were pretty sure there had been some sort of poison on Ardyn’s sword, but hadn’t been able to identify it since they had been unable to apprehend him and retrieve the weapon.

Prompto walked in and barged past them, ignoring their protests and the sharp gasp from Verstael as he immediately recognized him.  He motioned for the doctors to step back and watched in fascination as Prompto placed his hand over the Emperors, closing his eyes as a gentle golden light passed from his hands and spread over Iodelas’s body.  Everywhere it passed, his skin returned to a normal healthy color, and it seemed to congregate where the wound was, slowly healing the cut and getting rid of the infection.  Several moments later, the Emperor sat up with a gasp, eyes clear as he stared down at his hands in fascination.

“The Emperor is saved!” one of the guards said in awe, while the doctors stared in shock.  Verstael, meanwhile, began jotting down notes, looking quite pleased.

The Emperor turned to face Prompto, immediately knowing who his savior was.  “The missing Prince is to be kept here indefinitely until we can make sure he is safe from those Lucian degenerates.  The Glaive can accompany the Oracle back to Tenebrae and the Commodore can receive a promotion,” he began to order, until he was cut off by Prompto.

“He will be doing no such thing,” he said, surprising everyone in the room.

Iodelas narrowed his eyes at him, but before he could say anything Prompto continued.  “As of today, I am the new Oracle.  Which means you can’t keep me here,” he said.  Iodelas shot a glare at Lunafreya, who stared back at him with a steely gaze.  “I came here to heal you on behalf of Lucis in order to avoid a war.  But, I won’t have anyone abuse my abilities any longer.  They belong to the people of Eos now.”

Both Aranea and Nyx looked impressed, while Lunafreya had a slight smile.  Prompto then ripped off the leather bracelet that he used to hide his barcode, lifting his arm up so everyone could see his wrist.  “Furthermore, Lucis has information they gathered from where Ardyn was holding me captive all of these years exposing all of the research you all were taking part in this whole time.  If you don’t want to have everything exposed?  I suggest you start treating your people right and start working on peaceful relations with Lucis as well.”

Prompto then lowered his arm and turned before walking out the door, leaving the room in stunned silence.  After making sure that they didn’t appear to be attempting anything threatening, Aranea, Nyx, and Lunafreya quickly followed him.  They made their way back to Aranea’s airship, uncontested by any of the Nifs, and when they were safely inside and on their way back to Insomnia, Nyx placed a hand on Prompto’s shoulder and said sincerely, “That is the most badass thing I have ever seen in my life.  And that’s saying a lot.”

Lunafreya smiled at him, before agreeing.  “You did very well Prompto,” she praised.

“Blondie, I think you’re my new hero,” Aranea smirked back at him before returning her focus to flying. 

Prompto blushed at the compliments, insisting that he hadn’t done anything special, but the others wouldn’t have it.  “Just wait until the prince hears about how well his pal performed out there,” Nyx said with a wink, and Lunafreya giggled as Prompto turned even more red.

“Do you think they’ll listen?” he asked, looking over at Aranea who shrugged.

“Honestly it’s 50/50 with them.  I will say though, they’re not really in a great position right now because they relied heavily on the MT program.  And with Ardyn’s influence gone, that alone may make all the difference. Regardless, I’m not going to stand by and let them do what they want anymore.  I’ll continue to monitor them and expose their crimes if I need to,” she promised.  “I’m tired of watching my country fall apart.”

“We will all support you in anyway we can,” Lunafreya promised warmly, and both Prompto and Nyx nodded.

“Never thought I’d like a Niff,” Nyx said thoughtfully, “but you’re pretty damn cool.”

“You’re not too bad yourself, hotshot,” she replied.  “And the princess certainly has more nerves than I expected.  I saw you stare down the Emperor back there.”

“I’ve never been afraid of him,” Lunafreya said steadily, and Nyx and Prompto both looked impressed.

“Really because I was pretty terrified myself,” Prompto said.  “I thought for sure they were going lock us all up anyway.”

“That would have definitely caused a war,” Lunafreya said.  “And not just with Lucis.”

They all continued their companionable chat, much closer after what they had been through.  By the time they arrived at Insomnia, news had spread about the Emperor’s recovery.  The Emperor had contacted Regis directly in order to talk about negotiating peace terms, and everyone was incredibly excited for the party responsible for its return.  They couldn’t wait to hear what had happened to cause that reaction, and Noctis wouldn’t allow himself, and by extension Ignis, to rest until Prompto was back, safe and sound. 

The moment the airship landed, they are all ushered to Noctis’s room, where he was resting with Regis, Ignis, Gladiolus, and surprisingly Ravus and the dogs keeping him company.  The moment they entered the room, Ravus stood up and walked over to Lunafreya, hugging her fiercely and telling her not to scare him like that again.  Luna smiled at her older brother, while Nyx and Aranea stood back closer to the doorway to allow the others to have their reunion.  Prompto, meanwhile, dashed immediately over to the bed, where Noctis was waiting with open arms.  He dived into them, burying his face in Noctis’s shoulder while the dark haired prince gingerly hugged him to his chest, still in the process of recovering his strength.

“Thank you for bringing him back safely,” he said to the others over Prompto’s shoulder, and Nyx shook his head. 

“Honestly, we weren’t much help.  He did it all himself,” he grinned.  Everyone turned to look at Prompto, who sat up next to Noctis, freezing when he realized everyone’s attention was on him.

“Uh…” he said, and Lunafreya stepped in, explaining what happened.  Aranea and Nyx threw in some details as well, and once they were done, everyone stared at Prompto in stunned silence.

“Thank you, for what you have done for Lucis, and all of Eos,” Regis said with a smile.  “Once Noctis has recovered, we will throw a large party in your honor.  Both for your deeds and to welcome our new Oracle.”

“You don’t…” Prompto started to object, but Regis shook his head with a smile.

“It’s my duty as the king of the land you hail from.  I’m sure Sylva will be quite relieved it will be out of her hands this time,” he said, eyes twinkling in amusement as he left the room.  He wanted to give them some privacy and meet with his council.   He waved for Nyx and Aranea to join them, and began talking with her, offering her a potential position to act as a liaison between Niflheim and Lucis during the peace negotiations.

After they left, Lunafreya came forward to give Noctis and Prompto a hug, promising Prompto that they would start their lessons soon before formally announcing his transition.  She whispered something in Noctis’s ear, causing the young man to blush and glance at Prompto, before she gathered her dogs and also headed out with her brother.  That left the four men from the journey.

“What did she tell you?” Prompto asked curiously.

“She said not to fret about you being Oracle because I was your home,” Noctis said, blushing again as he repeated it.

Prompto blushed too, before replying, “What I actually said was I would always return to Lucis because it’s my home.  She’s the one who started saying that…although, she’s not wrong…”

Noctis beamed at that, while Gladiolus and Ignis exchanged glances.  Maybe it was time for them to head out too.  Ignis waved at Noctis before motioning toward the door, and Noctis nodded his head to show he understood.  They then quietly walked out, leaving both young men to their privacy.

“What made you decide to become the Oracle?” Noctis asked, and Prompto explained his talk with Lunafreya along with his dream.  Upon hearing it, Noctis nodded to himself.  “That certainly sounds like you,” he said with a soft smile.  “You’re right, I fully support your dream, even if I’m sad you’ll have to go away sometimes,” he said.  “Just as long as you always come back.”

“I will,” Prompto said earnestly.  “I promise.  And Luna, she said that with me as Oracle, I can accompany you more places when you have to travel too.”

Noctis looked pleased.  “Yeah, you can,” he said slowly, realizing just how sneaky his friend was.  She really had set things up, hadn’t she?  Not only would Prompto be able to accompany him to events, but if down the line he was interested, he could also be a potential suitor.  Which he was sure his father had figured out and why he had looked so pleased when he mentioned throwing the party.  Regis had taken a liking to Prompto, and he always did look out for Noctis’s happiness.  That’s when Noctis noticed the leather bracelet missing on Prompto’s wrist along with the barcode.

“What’s that?” he asked curiously, for he hadn’t really read over the materials they had collected from the tower yet.  He had been placed on immediate bedrest after all.

Prompto glanced down at his wrist, and a pained expression crossed his face.  “This…is the reason I have my healing powers,” he admitted, placing one hand over the barcode.  “Fa…Ardyn never fully explained it to me, but I think I have a better picture now after our travels and what I’ve gathered from everything your father said and that Ardyn told me after he tied me to the chair.”

Noctis sat up, listening intently.  “All Ardyn ever told me is that I was made in a facility and that he rescued me and raised me as his son.  Apparently, I was part of the MT program.  We’re all clones of that Chief Researcher guy.  Some of them get placed into the army, and a small group of them had tests performed on them in order to give them different abilities.  The Emperor was trying to find a way to have unlimited youth, so they were hoping one of us would provide the solution.”  Noctis’s eyes hardened and he grit his teeth. 

“I was the only one that worked though.  When I was cr…born.  I tested positively for the healing powers.  The Emperor declared me his heir because he wanted to be able to control me.  Right afterward, Ardyn stole me away along with all of the research that had lead to my birth.  He knew about the prophecy and wanted to ensure I never met you.  He wanted to dangle hope in front of your father while thinking I would never be found.”

“Well, Luna and Umbra changed that,” Noctis said proudly, and Prompto smiled at him.

“Yeah, they did.  This barcode, though, it’s given to all of clones after they’re…born.  It has our identification number so they can keep track of us,” he explained.  “Ardyn never fully explained it to me growing up, but I could tell by the way he looked at it sometimes that it wasn’t good so I always covered it up.”

Noctis carefully took his wrist in his hand, looking at the barcode carefully before gently running his thumb over it.  Prompto shivered at the gentle touch, but didn’t pull away.  “There’s no reason to hide it anymore,” Noctis insisted.  “Nothing about you could ever be bad, Prom.”

Prompto stared at him, a small smile on his face.  No one had made him feel worthwhile until Noctis had shown up in his life, and he was still getting used to the feeling.  “If you say so,” he said softly, and Noctis tugged him forward until he was resting in his arms again.

“I know so,” he insisted, staring Prompto in the eyes.  He glanced at Prompto’s lips, which never failed to amaze him with his friendly banter and dazzling smiles, before glancing back up into his eyes.  “I want to…try something,” Noctis started.  “But before I do I need to explain it first.”

Prompto looked curiously at him, before nodding.  “Prompto, I’m in love with you,” he said, flushing as Prompto let out a small gasp.  “And when couples are in love they do this thing called kissing.  It’s…kind of hard to explain but it feels really good.  But, I don’t want to do it to you if you don’t want to and…”

Before he could finish, Prompto interrupted.  “I love you too, Noct,” he said with a wide grin, and Noctis felt his heart skip a beat.  Even with his face still slightly bruised and cut from when Ardyn held him captive, Prompto was still the most adorable human he had ever laid eyes on.  “So yes, I’d like to try it.”

Noctis let out a breath, before saying softly, “Close your eyes,” leaning forward once Prompto had immediately shut them, unsure of what was to come but trusting Noctis completely.  Noctis leaned forward, placing one hand on Prompto’s head to steady him while the other he used to gently cup his face, so he could tilt his head as he leaned forward.  He pressed a soft kiss against Prompto’s lips, who sat completely still, unsure of what to do at first.  Noctis couldn’t help but smile at that, not minding in the least that he’d be the one teaching him, and he began slowly using his lips to show Prompto how to kiss him back, until he had coaxed a warm and gentle kiss out of him.  Noctis then pulled away with a satisfied grin, and Prompto’s eyes flew open.

“That did feel good,” he blurted out, and Noctis couldn’t help but laugh.  Prompto smiled, for Noctis’s warm and rich laughter definitely gave him a pleasant feeling in his stomach, similar to what he had just experienced with the kiss.

“After we practice some, it’ll feel even better, promise,” Noctis said with a grin.  He then patted the bed next to him, and Prompto immediately cuddled next to him.  Noctis wanted to ask how Prompto had figured out about Ardyn, and what the man had done to him, but had a feeling Prompto would probably ask what had happened when he died.  And while Ardyn was a cruel man and had definitely mistreated Prompto growing up, he had still raised him and been a father figure to him and Noctis wasn’t ready to talk about his passing quite yet.  He was sure it would be a heavy topic for both of them.  Instead, he began to tell Prompto about all the places they’d visit in Lucis, and how he’d set up an art studio just for him along with getting him is own phone and camera.  Prompto smiled as he listened to him ramble, finding it charming that the one time Noctis was actually supposed to rest, he wasn’t sleepy for a change.  They spent the rest of the afternoon resting with one another and basking in each other’s presence.

A little over a month later, after Prompto had started lessons with Lunafreya and had his own official residence in the Citadel close to Noctis’s room, Prompto had been officially announced as the Oracle and it was time for the royal banquet, celebrating his announcement and the newly signed peace treaty with Niflheim that Prompto had been integral in initializing.  Prompto and Lunafreya had already had their press conference earlier that afternoon, and Ignis was yet again in Prompto’s room, fussing over him as he got him ready for the event.  This time there had been time to have a suit custom made for him, and Ignis looked much happier about how it fit.

Prompto had on slim white dress pants with gold colored dress shoes.  The shoes matched his vest which was white but had a gold feather design on it.  Over that he had on a white dress jacket that was perfectly form fitted, and tonight he was wearing a black bowtie with small gold chocobos on it to bring it all together.  Most people wouldn’t be close enough to recognize what they were, and honestly Ignis didn’t think anyone would mind even if they did.  So far everyone was very taken with the new Oracle’s exuberant personality which is why Ignis thought it was fine that his clothes were a little flashy.  It fit him after all.  “Are you ready for tonight?” Ignis asked with a gentle smile, and Prompto nodded enthusiastically.

“I was nervous before the press conference, but most everyone here are my friends,” he said excitedly.  “So, I’m not really nervous for this.”

“Good.  Now I’m sending Gladio in so practice on your speech with him while I go make sure Noctis isn’t a nervous wreck.”  Prompto chuckled and waved him off, for Noctis had seemed more nervous about this whole endeavor than Prompto had.  He wanted to make sure everything went well for his boyfriend and had been stressing about it.

Gladio popped his head in as Ignis left, grinning widely at him.  “You look like a stud,” he greeted, and Prompto laughed.

“You’re looking pretty good there too, big guy,” he grinned, bumping fists with him.  He then dutifully went over his speech one more time with Gladio, since it would be televised for the news that evening and would be kicking off the banquet.  He was admittedly a little nervous about the speech, but after his grueling two hour session fielding questions earlier, he felt like this was nothing.

Not long afterward, it was time, and Prompto and Gladio made their way to the main ballroom.  Gladio peeled away, giving him two thumbs up before heading down in order to meet up with Ignis to watch.  Prompto met up with Lunafreya, who was dressed in a beautiful Sylleblossom blue ballgown, and had the flowers pinned in her hair as well.  Now that she was no longer the Oracle, she was enjoying getting to wear dresses in a color other than white.  “You look handsome,” she greeted with a smile while offering her arm.

“And you look beautiful,” Prompto grinned back, looping his arm through hers.  They were then officially announced and made their way to the top of the stairs, where Prompto and Lunafreya gave both of their speeches without a hitch.  At the bottom of the stairs, Noctis and Regis stood front and center as the hosts for the festivities.  The whole time, Noctis didn’t take his eyes off of him.  He was dressed in a black suit with gold on the flaps of the jacket, gold cufflinks with the symbol of the royal family etched on them, and the royal family’s crest ornately stitched in gold on the back of his jacket.  He was wearing a black bowtie and Prompto couldn’t help but glance back a few times, quite taken by how handsome he looked. 

Once their speeches were over, the whole room clapped as Lunafreya and Prompto made their way down the stairs.  Once they reached the final step, the band began playing music to start off the banquet, and Luna stepped off to join Nyx for a dance, who looked dashing in his formal Kingsglaive uniform.  Prompto could see Aranea off chatting with Cindy and another Glaive named Crowe, since Aranea had agreed to act as the liaison for Niflheim and was now their official representative in Lucis.  Ignis and Gladiolus were taking turns dancing with each other and with Gladio’s sister Iris.  That left Prompto with Noctis, who walked up to him shyly and offered his hand.  “May I have the first dance?” he asked, smiling softly at him.

“You can have _every_ dance,” Prompto replied. 

Regis interrupted, however.  “I am afraid as King I must ask you save a dance for me,” he teased, and both boys flushed.

“Daaaad,” Noctis said through clenched teeth, while Prompto smiled.

“Of course I’ll save a dance for you, Your Majesty,” he said, and Regis looked pleased before waving and heading off to meet up with Clarus and Cor.

Noctis tugged on Prompto’s hand and dragged him out to the dance floor, pulling him close as they swayed to the music.  “I’m getting the dance you denied me at the last party,” he teased, and Prompto sighed.

“Why are you bringing that up again?” he grumbled, as Noctis held him closer.

“Because I never want it to happen again,” he said honestly, and Prompto rested his head on his shoulder.

“Me neither,” he replied.  Noctis smiled, and they both swayed in silence until the end of the song.  After it was over, Noctis tugged Prompto back out to the garden, so they could have a quick moment to themselves.

They sat on the bench, holding each other’s hand, and staring up at the night sky for a moment, thinking back to Noctis’s birthday where they had watched the lanterns dancing in the sky above them.  To Noctis’s surprise, Prompto reached over to touch his face, dipping in for a quick kiss in order to catch his attention.  In the past month Prompto had gotten much more used to it and Noctis was definitely enjoying the results.  “What was that for?” Noctis asked, and Prompto grinned.

“Because I love you,” he teased.

“I guess that’s a good reason,” Noctis agreed, before leaning in for another kiss.  He stopped just before Prompto’s lips and said softly, “I guess this is because I love you too,” before capturing them deftly with his.  They stayed out there for several long minutes, enjoying each other’s company and glad that things were finally starting to change for the better.  Whatever happened going forward, at least they’d have each other to face it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that is the end of my story! Thank you to all of you who read this every time I posted and left comments. It really meant a lot to me and made writing this so much easier toward the end ^^ I hope you enjoy this ending and it wraps things up in a way that is satisfying to you <3

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfiction I've ever posted anywhere; up until now I've only ever written ones that I shared with my friends. I was inspired by a tumblr post that listed a lot of ideas for fanfictions to motivate people to write. I love Final Fantasy XV and also love Tangled, and as I thought about both topics I came up with this idea :) liziscribbles and my friends encouraged me to go ahead with the idea when I let them know about it, so here we are!


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